What's the Measure of Your Love?
I’ve been reading through I Corinthians lately and this morning I stumbled upon the “love” chapter. I started to quickly skim through it since I can recite this chapter with little effort. I’m sure my good Christian school education made me memorize this chapter one February long, long ago. 🙂
But as I began to patronizingly read it, I started to slow down.
I know what scripture says love is, but just knowing doesn’t mean I’m doing it. Just knowing it hasn’t automatically turned me into the greatest lover, so I felt convicted that I needed to take a minute and camp out here.
I started writing out in my journal the phrases describing what love is and I tried to rate myself on how well I display that characteristic of love from 1-10. 1 being very poor. 10 being I totally love like Christ would.
So, let me challenge you to do the same. Take the following phrases and rate yourself. Even better, ask someone you love and trust to rate you too. Perhaps God will reveal a little more about your heart and take you on a journey to loving more deeply than you ever have before. I’m praying that’s what it does for me… and for you too!
Love…
- is patient
- is kind
- does not envy
- does not boast
- is not proud
- is not rude
- is not self-seeking
- is not easily angered
- keeps no record of wrongs
- does not delight in evil
- rejoices with the truth
- always protects
- always trusts
- always hopes
- always perseveres
- never fails
I loved this post, Jenni. I am guilty of a little eye rolling and skimming when I get to the chapter. I guess listening to it in so many wedding ceremonies has desensitized me to it a little…but how you broke it down in this post was convicting, challenging and it gave me the ability to look at it with fresh eyes. Thank you for that.
Where I stumble is quantifying this through measuring, comparing, and processing love as a score. Do we compare our love to others or do we individually grow the reference point of where we are individually with love in our heart, love within our community, love learned through Christ? I am sure you didn't intend to compare how we love, only learn the perspective of how we love internally, and where we at times forget how to love in the areas listed above. It is always a good reminder to have perspective about love through the teachings of Christ and how we are convicted to grow. Thanks
Hey Lance, yes – great distinction. My intent was to measure my growth. Am I growing in these areas of love? And sometimes being the analytical type that I am I have to ask myself the tough question of whether I'm seeing progress… that's often easiest in a measurable. Thanks for joining the discussion!!