but what it has to say about love is pretty amazing. i've read corinthians 13 probably half a million times in my life time, but if you actually think about what is says, it's really heavy and difficult. it seems like what the bible says about love is counter intuitive for me. i'm trying to learn the balance between loving others and loving myself. it's hard to do both at the same time. and which one do you do first?
1 Corinthians 13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
the ones that are the greatest challenge to me right now....
love is patient- i am not patient. especially concerning love.
love always trust- well that goes against everything that feels natural to me
love does not delight in evil- i think i'm realizing that i delight in evil things more than i'd like to admit.
sometimes i feel guilty for loving people. i feel like we are taught to take care of ourselves first. guard yourself against being hurt, don't trust anyone. maybe that's wrong?
lauryn hill says in her song about love, that love is not loud. i'm not sure what that means yet, but i like the sound of it. the idea of quiet love is very appealing to me. she always says, make me unselfish without being blind. that seems like a good healthy balance.
so continuing with love...it's hard to love someone when their love doesn't match your amount of love. usually i would stop loving that person or think there is something wrong with me for loving them more.
i'm trying to learn how to love not based on other people's actions. that's not quite what i wanted to say, but i can't think of how to describe it. i want to learn how to love people for no reason and with the reality that they may never love me back.
it's fucking hard. sorry mom.
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2 comments:
our brains work the same I think.
I hate how that passage gets cheapened. It's not easy. It's easy to say and spout off, but its not easy. I am thinking about using it for my wedding vows (how's that for cliche?) but MAN those are some BIG promises to make to someone. It's kind of scary....and it kind of makes me sad to realize just exactly how HARD it is for me to love people, when that's exactly what I am supposed to be doing. Jesus wants us to love our enemies....try applying 1st corinthians 13 to THAT. I think most of us read it without realizing God actually does think we should do that....with everyone and not based off of their actions toward us, just like you said. And that's hard. And it's not what we've been taught our whole lives. And it's not smart. And it's not rational. And yet, it's the only way to show others to God.
hey friend, thanks for your openness. I do miss you and love what you had to say about loving people regardless. Hey, have you read "the shack"? I'm reading it now, it is a good look at love and that, you may like it. Had a chicken the other night from the co-op in town, missed ya.
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