Want to know if you are really loving your neighbors, use this checklist
- trinityobiorah
- Feb 12, 2021
- 2 min read
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is perhaps one of the most popular passages of the Bible. We hear it read at weddings and a lot of people are quick to quote it to others. It says,
"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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."
Let's simplify this by listing out the qualities of love as written above:
patient
kind
not envious
not arrogant (boasting)
not proud
does not dishonor others
not selfish
not easily angered
does not keep record of wrongs
does not delight in evil
rejoices with the truth
protects
trusts
hopes
perseveres
never fails
That's a pretty long list, 16 characteristics of love. Now, circling back to the topic. Jesus said that the summary of the law and the commandments is to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. 1 John 4:20b says "We cannot see God. So how can we love God, if we don’t love the people we can see?" So, how do we love our neighbors? Well, reflect on the 16 characteristics listed above and think of the ones you practice that show you love those around you. To be honest, it's pretty difficult to always love everyone (including your enemies as Jesus commanded), so when the going gets tough, it's not the tough that get going, but those who trust and seek help from God.
Actionable point: Reflect on which of those qualities are lacking in your everyday interactions, and prayerfully work towards fixing that.
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