The Most Excellent Way!

Over the years I have desired to understand what love is, so I continue to study, grow, and share what I am learning.

The most popular scripture on love is 1 Corinthians 13. You know the one. They use this scripture in many weddings.

Tom and I used this scripture in our own wedding ceremony.

1 Corinthians 13 wonderfully establishes what love is. I don’t know about you but understanding what love is can be difficult without God’s Word.

When the scripture introduces love as the MOST EXCELLENT WAY to live, it got my attention. Then the scripture goes on to describe what love is and what love is not.

1 Corinthians 12:31b, 13:4–8a (NIV)

I will show you the most excellent way.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Wow! What a wonderful description of love.

I knew if I wanted to live a life of love, I had to recreate this scripture in a way that made it easy for me to remember and apply. Here is one way that I simplified this scripture.

“I will show you the most excellent way.”

LOVE IS...

Love is patient.

Love is kind.

Love rejoices with the truth.

Love always protects.

Love always trusts.

Love always hopes.

Love always perseveres.

Love never fails!

I also had to be on the lookout for what love is not:

LOVE DOES NOT . . . LOVE IS NOT . . .

Love does not envy.

Love does not boast.

Love is not proud.

Love does not dishonor others (by being rude).

Love is not self-seeking.

Love is not easily angered.

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil.

As you read over these scriptural truths, what stands out to you about love?

• Was it an aspect of what love is

• or were you taken by a facet of what love is not

• or by what love does not do?

Think about that question and then please reply and let me know.

Is there an aspect of love that you want to apply to your life, or something you want to stop doing?

For me once I knew that love is patient, whenever I was not patient, I would realize that I was not acting in the most excellent way, which is love.

In those instances,

• I would ask God to forgive me and apologize if I could to the one that I was not patient with.

• I would stop and pray and ask God for help when I felt myself wanting to be impatient, unkind, rude, selfish, or easily angered.

• I would ask God for His help to be loving.

I know it can be hard to love as God wants us to love, but He will help us!!

I realize that I have a choice in the moment… will I give in to the negative or will I ask God to help me love in that situation. Desiring to love and praying for God to help me love are key.

Prayer Prompt:

Dear Lord, help me to be loving by being more ____________________ and help me to not be ____________________________________. Thank You!

I am thankful that God’s Word has been given to build us up and teach us the best way to live. And by His Spirit, He equips us to do it.

I pray that today you are able to see love as a gift to us and that we can choose to allow that wonderful love to flow through us and bless others.

Love is the most excellent way,

Dawn

PS = ) You are always invited!