Dave’s Monday Blast – April 18, 2016

Last week we began to unpack 3 ways that love is supposed to “spill out” of our lives. Paul was a very INTENTIONAL man. He never minced nor wasted words! He defines for us what true love is and how it is expressed in 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” This timeless description shows us exactly what God revealed through Christ (2 Timothy 1:10). It is the same type of love we’re called to model in our lives.

Last week we examined the essence of Love being Patient. Bottom line…it isn’t just a virtue. It represents the very heart of what real love is all about. Philippians 2:5-8 reminds us that for the sake of love, Jesus gave up His position of equality with God and exchanged it for death on a cross. Nothing we possess or desire to hold on to can compare to what He surrendered for our sake.

Now for this week:

2) Love is Kind: Real kindness isn’t a manipulative effort to get what we want. Instead, it’s giving something without the hope of reward. God loves us and blesses us continually, though there’s nothing we could ever give back to Him. He doesn’t need anything, but He still shows kindness…even to those who refuse to love Him back (Matthew 5:45).

For us, our kindness comes through when we give up what rightfully belongs to us because our love for someone trumps what we think is “fair”. We put aside our claims and expectations because we’re more interested in what’s good for someone else…even if they don’t deserve it. It’s much like the famous “Good Samaritan” that Jesus talked about, a man who put aside centuries of cultural hate to care for someone in need (Luke 10:25-37). God shows us exactly what this kindness looks like in Titus 3:4-5a), “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” Likewise in Romans 5:8 we read, “God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Next Week – Love Does Not Envy!