Love For Everyone

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Loves never ends! I Corinthians 13:4-8(b) 

If you have read the Bible at all, gone to church at all, or looked at any inspirational posts, you've probably heard about the love chapter, I Corinthians 13. For some reason, it seems we always apply it to husband/wife relationships. The Greek word used for love in this chapter is agape which means the most ultimate love; the kind of love that sacrifices everything. It's the same word used in John 3:16.

So now Love seems much harder. This isn't the kind of love you have only when you are "in love" with your spouse. This love applies to everyone. This is the love we have when we aren't "in love" with our spouse. This is the kind of love we should have for even our enemies. It's even the kind of love you should have for God.

I know some of you are probably thinking that you love God this way already. If you do, then I applaud you. I also assume that you never get impatient with God. I'm guessing you never ask him why he won't hurry up and answer your prayer? Is he even doing anything? Doesn't he see that you have a problem? You never want your own way either, or get resentful when you don't get your way. If you are like me, then your love for God is imperfect at best. 

The words used to describe love in this passage: rejoices, bears, believes, hopes, endures, and endless show us power. This is some amazing love. This is the kind of love that doesn't require you to perform good deeds. You don't have to be perfect to get it. You don't have to even be useful. You just have to be.

If we love God with this love and love our neighbors with this kind of love, we will change our world. In fact, it is the greatest commandments God has given you.

And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 22:37-40

This has made me want to take each part of "the love chapter" and think of ways to apply it to my life. What do I need to work on bearing or enduring? Who do I need to hope good things for? Is there something I need to quit rejoicing in and something I need to start rejoicing in? Love is what God wants me to do. You may have a job outside the home or be a stay-at-home mom, but whatever you do or where ever you go, you are called to Love. If you are looking for God's will for your life, I recommend you start with Love.