Love Is...

By: Jenifer Metzger

Valentine's Day is just a few days away. I am still not sure how I feel about this holiday. My husband and I firmly believe that we should show our love to our spouse 365 days a year, not just 1. We should do those little acts of love regularly, not just when the calendar tells us to. Yet on the other hand, it is nice to have that day to do extra things and go all out, and I love to decorate my home for all the little holidays.

Whether you are one of those who goes all out red and hearts and lovey-dovey for the day or one who dismisses the day completely, this is for you.

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does
not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,
is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable,
and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in
the truth. It bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love
never ends. But as for prophecies, they will
come to an end; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

I Corinthians 13:4-8 CSB

The Bible tells us in I John 4 that God is love. So let's do this again a little differently.

Jesus is patient, Jenifer is kind. Jesus does
not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,
is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable,
and does not keep a record of wrongs. Jesus
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in
the truth. He bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jesus
never ends. But as for prophecies, they will
come to an end; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Oh that describes Jesus perfectly! Jesus is all of those things. He is love. Well, we are supposed to be Christ-like. Correct? So let's try this yet again.

Jenifer is patient, Jenifer is kind. Jenifer does
not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,
is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable,
and does not keep a record of wrongs. Jenifer
finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in
the truth. She bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things. Jenifer
never ends. But as for prophecies, they will
come to an end; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end.

Um...ouch. If I were honest with you, I would say that is not true. I am not always patient and kind. I am, at times, easily angered. And yes, I have been known to keep record of my husband's wrong doings. I do fail.

The Bible tells us what love is and it tells us that Jesus is love. It also tells us that we are to be like Jesus. Now, take out the word love and add your name. Does it match up perfectly? I would imagine it doesn't.

Friends, we need to commit to our spouse, and even to our families and friends, to strive to be like God and to be love. I want to encourage you, this Valentine's Day and all the days that follow, let's be love. Memorize I Corinthians 13:4-8 and practice putting your name in there and striving to make it true.

I want to be like Christ. I want to be love.

Discussion:
1. Does replacing the word love with your name make you say "ouch"?
2. How can you strive to make it a little less painful today?