1 Corinthians 13
during my devo time this week, I keep flipping abck to the 1 Corinthians 13 chapter - memorized by many, I'm sure, and often used during wedding vows (blech...)
I read the Message version to the rest of worship team on tuesday night, due to the fact that we'll be talking about "love" on Sunday.
Two of the definitions had us a little puzzled:
"Love doesn't want what it doesn't have" and "Love doesn't fly off the handle"
I decided to compare it to the NLT version to gain some insight:
For the first, the NLT writes that love "doesn't demand its own way". I personally understood it as love not being greedy...not seeking for selfish gain. love means being satistfied about the way things are.
For the second, the NLT writes: "love is not irritable"...hmmm, I guess that's self-explanatory?
does that mean that love isn't supposed to be annoying? cuz sometimes, a lot of the times, I think it is!
I have nothing deep to say about the second one...share an insight if you'd like.=)
posted by vespertine @ 12:09 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Love can be annoying (especially if it's directed toward the Canucks, argh!)
The NIV take for "doesn't fly off the handle" is "it is not easily angered."
Gordon Fee says "the one who loves is not easily provoked to anger by those around him or her." This echoes the "Love is patient" phrase that starts off this list.
For me, I take this to mean that in my love for others, whatever annoying word or act, even if hurtful, whatever idiosyncrasies that rub me the wrong way...my love for this person should respond with much patience.
I take it to mean that I should so see and acknowledge and honour this other person truly as a person made in the image of God--but still fallen like I--that whatever this person does, I won't be so quick with my temper.
I take it to mean that I would not so easily blow my top--to react (because even much of my own reactions come from my sinful nature)--when the person I'm intently trying to love does not reciprocate, or is irritable, or is having a bad day.
I think this takes a certain amount of self-awareness, emotional maturity, and most of all, a continual awareness of God's own forbearing love to us, his children. In that light, I think the response is one of grace. Love is not easily angered (even if you're totally entitled to it...), instead show grace.
But I don't react or respond or live out this gracious kind of love in the way I would like. But that doesn't keep my from trying, or fumbling. :D
I have nothing insightful to say except that I laughed when you said, "how badly can I do on the LSAT and still come out ok..." - for me, I had to think "How awesome do I have to do on the LSAT to come out ok!" Ahh... the joy of having terrible grades. Praise God that yours are better!! Too bad law school sucks. ;)
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