“What the world needs now is love, sweet love. It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”
I completely agree with the sentiment of this popular song first released in the mid-60’s. However, I also disagree with the premise that there’s too little love in this world because in actuality, love abounds in our Father’s kingdom so there can never be a lack of love.
So why is there such an apparent, widespread disconnect from this abundance of God’s love which he freely gives? In a word, independence. Whenever we don’t choose to eat from the Tree of Life, which is enjoying and yielding to the very life and love of Jesus within us, then by default, our flesh runs the show. This looks like fear, suspicion, meanness, arrogance, disconnection and judgment, to name a few of the damaging fruits of relying upon our own sense of what we think is right and wrong instead of resting in the goodness of our Father by trusting his ability to lead us perfectly in every situation.
But there is hope. There is always hope! Our tenderhearted Father has been intentionally growing us up in the ways of love during this difficult season, first by making clear to us where our own independent choices have taken us; and then, by drawing us back to his kind heart and inviting us into a 1 Corinthians 13:11 season—having us put aside childish ways and embracing genuine love.
What does genuine love look like, though? We can look to 1 Corinthians 13 that gives us numerous practical examples. From the richness of multiple Bible translations and paraphrases, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite descriptors from verses 4-8 that gives us a vivid picture of what our union with Jesus looks like, loving others with his love. Just to be clear, this is not a self-effort check list. There is nothing described here that you can do apart from Jesus and his love inside of you, so meditate on these with him. If Jesus highlights one of these as you read them, sit with him and rest in his ability to love with you in this way. Here we go:
Love is large and incredibly patient (Passion)
Love has no desire to make others feel inferior (Mirror)
Love gives in order to bless others (Remedy)
Love refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. (Passion)
Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. (Passion)
Love never does the graceless thing; never insists on its rights (Barclay)
Love is not spiteful and gets no mileage out of another’s mistakes (Mirror)
Love doesn’t look after No. 1 (Word on the Street)
Love does not play “one-up-man-ship,” nor does it react to those who do (Heart of Paul)
Love doesn’t fly off the handle (Message)
Love never nurses its wrath to keep it warm (Barclay)
Love cannot be provoked and ,does not brood over an injury (Knox)
Love is not touchy or fretful or resentful (Amplified)
Love doesn’t tally wrongs (Voice)
Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. (Passion)
Love doesn’t revel when others grovel; It takes pleasure in the flowering of truth (Message)
Love is a fortress where everyone feels protected rather than exposed! (Mirror)
Love protects like a blockbuster hero and trusts more than a toddler (Word on the Street)
Love’s first instinct is to believe in people; Love never regards anyone or anything as hopeless (Barclay)
Love never loses it’s altitude (Mirror)
Love originates in God and therefore will never stop and never fail (Remedy)
Friends, there is no lack of love for us to tap into, partake of and freely give to others. To each one of you I say, “In your union with Jesus, love will always prevail!”
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