kayfromhome

I realized a long time ago, that I am not really a lover. 

I am a fighter. 

At the core of who I am, I am petty and spiteful; impatient and unkind.  I am arrogant and jealous, selfish and rude.  I am irritable, and resentful, and I refuse to bear all things, because I don’t have to put up with this if I don’t want to!

That is my base nature.  My flawed humanity.  It is who I am, unredeemed, unrepentant and without God.  And, I have no doubt that I am not the only one. 

I know nothing, if not who I am.  I am the girl who will nitpick and cause a fuss over things that don’t really matter.  I am the woman who has grace for strangers, that never seems to extend as far as the people I love.  I am the type who is unforgiving and unrelenting, and unable to love like God without Him. 

1 Corinthians 13 is one of the more commonly known verses of the Bible.  Often quoted in weddings, verses 4-7 speak of a biblical love that is kind, patient, and hopeful. 

I mean… What?  Who loves like that? 
I am definitely not a lover.  At least not as lovers are defined in this context. 

Love…

• Keeps no record of wrongs
• Does not delight in evil
• Does not insist on having its own way

For all that I am, I’m a far cry from the picture of a biblical lover.  In fact, time after time, I find myself in direct opposition to these commands.  Why is that?  I mean, I love God. And, I love His people. 

Usually.  Kind of.  As best as I can. 

In these next few weeks, I am going to explore what it’s like to love the way Paul admonishes us to.  And what hang ups hold me back from doing so. 

I hope you’ll join me in the journey.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7