IT’S TIME FOR YOUR LOVE CHECK-UP!

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another even as I have loved you…  John 13:34

A great love check-up is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.  Do you have a love that….

1.     IS PATIENT, responding without retaliation, resentment and anger?

2.     IS KIND, gracious and considerate, not rough, harsh and abusive toward others?

3.     NOT JEALOUS, stewing over another’s gains or victories?

4.     DOES NOT BRAG, vaunting your rightness, goodness, intelligence, power over others?

5.     IS NOT PUFFED UP with arrogant inflated attitudes of yourself?

6.     DOES NOT ACT UNCOMINGLY, indecently, shamefully and senselessly toward others?

7.     DOES NOT SEEK YOUR OWN wants exclusively without first considering the welfare of others?

8.     IS NOT PROVOKED easily, becoming resentful, and angry?

9.     DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT A WRONG SUFFERED against you with no desire to forgive?

10.  DOES NOT REJOICE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, applauding the sins, failures and losses of others?

11.  REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH or the joys, gains and successes of others even if it’s not you?

12.  BEARS/COVERS ALL THINGS, protecting others from criticism, scorn and misunderstanding?

13.  BELIEVES ALL THINGS, thinking the best of others?

14.  HOPES ALL THINGS, being positive and optimistic even when nothing is going right?

15.  ENDURES ALL THINGS without giving up on others?

16.  NEVER FAILS even when your situation seems hopeless?

That is one rigorous love check-up - a love that we can never muster up on our own apart from God!  This is agapelove which sacrifices itself to seek the other’s highest good, giving of itself 100% regardless of the response.  May we love others like God loves us!   

Bob Kulp