EXAMPLES IN LOVE
1 Corinthians 13:4
(4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
How do we know love when we see it? What are some of the ways that love expresses itself?
1. Here we find that, love suffers long. Love puts up with a lot.
If it wasn’t for love, my wife and I couldn’t make it.
Love will make you put up with:
· Your husband not taking out the trash.
· Your wife hanging up those panty hose on the shower nozzle.
· Or how ’bout that spouse leaving their teeth lying out on the eating table?
One with love puts up with a lot.
2. Love is kind. Here is a good thing.
One way to tell how much love someone may have is by how much kindness they have.
If you want to show your love, show kindness.
3. Love does not envy, does not vaunt itself and is not puffed up.
Ever seen someone who is just full of envy and pride?
It shows that they are only selfish looking out for number one.
Love is not selfish.
Selfishness is when you are willing to step on somebody else to move a little higher up.
So then a loving person acts right and does not seek to "BE SOMEBODY."
4. Love is not easily provoked. With love present we should not be easily to anger.
(Although I would be the first to say not to let anyone run you over.)
If one offends us we need to search out the right approach in acknowledging it.
I say it like this best, "Don’t let your first action be reaction."
5. Love does not look for weakness in another. With love present we won’t go around looking for
faults in others and act like were happy when we’ve found it.
Ever seen someone who is more than willing to point out the faults in others? Isn’t that sickening?
(Act like they are "Columbo," the detective..)
We should be looking for all the good in each other not the bad.
Love bears all things. That is, no matter what one does to us, we can still bear it and love them.
There is only One who perfectly demonstrated love at all times. In looking to Him (Hebrews 12:2), we can be living examples of His love!
copyright by James W. Bryant 1999
Rev James W. Bryant
Preached on Wed 11-10-99
