PATHWAYS TO FAITH: Give The Gift Of Love! Part 2
Last
week we said that we would examine what Paul meant by the phrase “a
more excellent way”. Paul’s formula for the victorious life promises to
those who choose the more excellent way requires us to live in agape
love just as Christ did. Notice Jesus’ response when asked which is the
greatest commandment. At Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV), Jesus replied: “’Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And
the second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Paul is
teaching the same lesson of love as our formula for victorious living.
He is emphasizing that love is more excellent than any gifts we possess
including our spiritual gifts. In First Corinthians Chapter13, verses
4-8, Paul clearly spells out the behaviors that are necessary to live in
a more excellent way and achieve the promised victory. Let’s take a
closer look at these sixteen attributes of a victorious Christian 1.
Love is patient. The word that Paul uses here refers to the way we
respond to people. Paul says that we are to suffer a long time with
other people regardless of their actions and behavior toward us.
Patience allows us to give a loving, thoughtful response to situations
as opposed to a heated, uncaring response. 2. Love is kind. The word
kind means to show favor to others and move beyond Continued on Page 10
our hurt and injury. Paul shows that love is the strength of grace that
allows us to grant forgiveness even when we are hurting. 3. Love does
not envy. Paul is teaching us that we must not possess harsh feelings
against others because of what they have; i.e.
spiritual gifts,
position, abilities, possessions or anything else. Love does not
begrudge the gifts others have but rather shares in the joyous blessings
God has given to them. 4. Love does not boast. Here Paul says that love
does not brag or seek recognition but gives thanks for all blessings.
The behavior of love seeks to give, to recognize and honor others while
applauding their achievements. 5 . Love is not proud. The word used here
for proud means to be puffed up or conceited. The behavior of love is
to esteem others rather than being prideful of our own successes. Love
is humble and seeks to embrace the best for our neighbors. 6. Love is
not rude. Paul points out that we must respect the dignity of every
person if we desire to live in a more excellent way. Love does not
behave in a way that brings disgrace or shame to the name of Jesus. Love
requires us to show respect to all people. 7. Love is not self-seeking.
The Greek word that Paul uses here literally means to worship self or
to seek to glorify yourself. This is exactly the problem of modern
society because we have become so full of ourselves that it has become
the norm for individuals to seek to build up their stature at the
expense of others. True agape love requires that we seek to serve
others, not to be served by others. 8. Love is not easily angered. Paul
uses the Greek word that means quick tempered or ready to take personal
offense against the act of another person. Agape love requires us to
keep our tempers under control and not allow our emotions to cause us to
offend God in our moments of anger with another person. Next week we
will examine the final eight characteristics of Paul’s formula for a
victorious life in Part 3 of this series “Give The Gift Of Love.” Dr.
Holley is the Senior Pastor at Pathways Christian Fellowship in
Bradenton, Florida. Contact Dr. Holley at Wholley777@aol.com.
WWW.PathwaysChristian-Bradenton.com.
