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Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8, NIV).
Quite a promise in 1 Corinthians 13:8 that love never fails. Too many country songs are written about failed love, but 1 Corinthians describes a love that…
Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7, ESV).
Everyone struggles with love, relationships, and friendships, and knowing this, the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 instructions for enduring love. The context for his list was the confusion, hurtful words, and broken commitments in the Corinthian church.
Lists were a teaching tool Paul often used. We use them today with recipes, step-by-step instructions for assembling e-bikes for grandchildren, installing software, and just about everything we try to accomplish. Personally, being technically and mechanically challenged, I’ve learned that to succeed, I must follow instructions exactly.
If I leave out one essential nut or bolt or downloaded update, my wife’s cat should run and avoid me!
The Apostle Paul writes these steps for a love that never fails:
- Patient
- Kind
- Does not envy
- Does not boast
- Not arrogant
- Not rude
- Not irritable
- Not resentful
- Not rejoicing in wrongdoing
- Rejoices with the truth
Paul’s list in 1 Corinthians 13 contains both “dos” and “don’ts.” The instructions for assembling a new grill, on which I will burn hamburgers this summer, have all the “to-dos.” Do this, this, this, and that. But relationships aren’t about just the “dos,” but what you shouldn’t do as well. When developing “never fail” love, we don’t get extra credit for being patient and then boasting about it; we don’t grow in love by being kind one moment and then rude a few seconds later.
The directions of love must include all 10 steps. Avoid one to the peril of a lasting relationship.
Let’s take a closer look at what each means.
- Patient: doesn’t overreact
- Kind: useful actions
- Does not envy: out of control jealousy
- Does not boast: promote yourself
- Not arrogant: big ego
- Not rude: behave improperly
- Not irritable: when the Buckeyes lose the Big Ten Championship!
- Not resentful: keeping mental lists of others’ offenses
- Not rejoicing in wrongdoing: delights in evil
- Rejoices with the truth: loves the Word of God
The list for love in 1 Corinthians 13 wasn’t flippantly or casually devised by the Apostle Paul. He wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit with words and concepts that God wants us to know today.
For a love that won’t fail, let’s take Paul’s instructions seriously!