Freedom Calls

Love:

“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV)

The apostle Paul describes the characteristics of love, as embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

“It does not dishonor others.”

Love seeks to honor and esteem others, rather than shame or belittle them. As Jesus taught, “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12, NIV).

John Calvin (1509-1564) noted that love “considers the good of others as its own.”

This attitude of humility and service is rooted in the recognition that all people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

“It is not self-seeking.”

Love is not motivated by personal gain or selfish desires.

Instead, it prioritizes the well-being of others, as Jesus demonstrated when

He laid down His life for humanity (John 15:13).

Martin Luther (1483-1546) wrote, “Love does not seek its own, but rather seeks the welfare of others.”

This selfless attitude is exemplified in Jesus’ words,

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NIV).

“It is not easily angered.”

Love is patient and slow to anger, even in the face of provocation.

As the Psalmist wrote, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way” (Psalm 25:8-9, NIV).

Theologian Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) observed,

“Love is a principle of action, and not of passion.”

This means that love is not driven by emotions, but rather by a deliberate choice to act in the best interests of others.

“It keeps no record of wrongs.”

Love does not harbor resentment or keep a mental or emotional ledger of past offenses.

Instead, it chooses to forgive and release others from the debt of their wrongdoing. As Jesus taught,

“If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive you” (Matthew 6:14-15, NIV).

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) noted,

“Love is not a detective to find out faults, but a surgeon to heal them.”

Love is a selfless, humble, and gracious attitude that prioritizes the well-being of others over personal interests.

It seeks to honor, serve, and forgive others, even when they may not deserve it.

This is the essence of Christian love, as embodied in the person of Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:8

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:16

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Psalm 136:1-3

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Jeremiah 31:3

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

Hosea 11:4

“I led them with cords of kindness,
with the bands of love,
and I became to them as one who lifts
the yoke from their neck.
I bent down to them and fed them.”

Isaiah 49:15-16

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
your walls are ever before me.”