1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Every year, from February 1st to February 14th, we probably read 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 more often than usual.  The Scripture passage is well-known as The Love Chapter.  As Valentine's Day quickly approaches, let's take a closer took at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

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. I Corinthians 14:4-8 (NIV)

A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient.

Some versions read "love is long-suffering."  It is one thing to be patient, but long suffering implies a deeper meaning.  Dictionary.com tells us the word "patient" means quietly and steadily persevering, while "long-suffering" means long and patient endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation (something that incites, instigates, angers, or irritates).  You see, the word long suffering is much more than just waiting on someone to ask you out on a date or waiting for your husband or wife to apologize for something they've done or not done, probably without ill-will.  Long suffering is a love that reaches beyond the deep pain of intentional hurt and heartache.  A long suffering love will love past the intentional act of hurt aimed directly at you.  If you are thinking that this kind of love is impossible, you might be right, but only impossible without Jesus.  Only He can help us practice a long-suffering love.

Love is kind.  

We are taught that kindness is a character trait and it is.  A person is either kind or not-king, but the kindness in 1 Corinthians 13 is an active kindness.  The Believers Bible Commentary refers to this kindness as an active goodness.  It is something we do, not for ourselves, but in the interest of others.  

Love does not envy.

We usually think of envy as jealousy.  Jealousy is a synonym of envy and I think we have all experienced jealousy at some point.  I also think social media has made envy more powerful.  We compare ourselves to others more often as we scroll past small snapshots of the best moments in the lives of others.  We need to keep jealousy in check, because this Biblical definition of envy-free love means that we not just tolerate the successes of others, but we should be happy for their accomplishments.  We should celebrate the successes of others and avoid giving the enemy a playing field in this area of our lives.

Love does not boast.

Let's piggy-back this section on the heels of the last one.  Just like love does not envy when others are successful, we shouldn't boast about our own successes either.  It's OK to let others know we've achieved something we've worked hard to achieve, but not in such a way that makes us feel better than others.  The definition of the word "boast" means "to speak with exaggeration and excessive pride."  Did you notice the words "excessive" and "pride?"  Let's not be jealous when others are successful, and let's not be excessively prideful over our own accomplishes either.  Let's keep it all in its proper place and if we strive to always life others above ourselves, this is easier to do.

Love is not proud.

There is that "pride" word again.  Some versions say that love is not "puffed up."  As believers, we should already know that nothing have is our own, but gifts from God instead.  We have nothing to be prideful about.  It is by God's grace and mercy alone that we even live and breathe.  There is nothing prideful about love.

Love does not dishonor others.

Love leaves no room for rudeness.  Dishonoring others is the opposite of loving them.  Love is always considerate of others.  

Love is not self-seeking.

As believers, we are children of God.  Our mission here on earth is to tell others about God's plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.  Someone once said, "I'm here to take as many people to Heaven with me as I can."  We should always be seeking ways to benefit others, not ourselves.

Love is not easily angered.

True love is able to suffer through pettiness.  Remember "long-suffering?"  For the benefit, and maybe even the eternity of the offender, we can call on Jesus to help us shorten our fuses and not be easily angered.

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

This one is a really tough one.  Once someone has wronged us, it is difficult to forget it.  How often do we bring up past offenses?  Truth be told, we all do it and maybe more often than any of us want to admit.  This is a tough one for me personally, but we can put wrongs behind us if we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us.  

Love does not delight in evil.

God is love.  The opposite of love is hate or evil.  Therefore hate and evil are the very core of Satan's character.  We should never ever celebrate evil.  Our culture tells us that in order to love others, we have to also love the sin they are involved in.  Well, we are all sinners.  Jesus showed us how to treat others when he called out their sin, but He told them to sin no more.  We are to love the sinner, but hate the sin.  We are to hate their sin, our sin, all sin.  By calling sin what it is and showing others who Jesus is, we are offering the real love we all need, the same love that Jesus offers.

Love rejoices with the truth.

We are never to delight in evil, but we are to always rejoice in the truth.  The Believer's Bible Commentary had this to say about these last two points.

There is a certain mean streak in human nature which takes pleasure in what is unrighteous, especially if an unrighteous act seems to benefit one’s self. This is not the spirit of love. Love rejoices with every triumph of the truth.  

It is as simple as this.  Satan is the author of confusion, sin, and lies.  God is the author of sound mind, purity, and truth.  We cannot have it both ways.  We must choose one.  Choose wisely.  Choose truth.

Love always protects.

Believers have the resources to protect others against evil.  We have God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit.  We have His Word.  It is our responsibility to protect others and lead them to a saving relationship with Jesus.

Love always trusts.

Love always trusts God, His Word, the Gospel, and truth.  We must be careful to not put our trust in the wrong place.  We cannot trust the lies and snares of the enemy, but we can always trust God and His plan for our lives even when things don't work out like we planned and even when He doesn't answer in the way we hoped He would.

Love always hopes.

Love never gives up.  Love always hopes for things to work out for the best.  As we stated above, love always hopes for the best even when God's plan doesn't line up with our own.  Our hope is in Him, not ourselves.

Love always perseveres.

The definition of the word persevere is "to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly." My eyes concentrated a little longer on the words "maintain a purpose."  Our purpose is to lead others to Jesus.  Love maintains this purpose against all obstacles and discouragement.   

Love never fails.

There is no better way to explain it.  No matter the what, love never fails.  This is a beautiful truth.

There is a whole lot of love language packed into those 5 sweet Bible verses.  I know Valentine's Day is a day set aside for romantic love, but so many people out there have been shown so little love in any of its true forms.  Maybe we can take some extra time this week to think about what real love is and share it with others.

This "Love Never Fails" wall art is available here.

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A Closer Look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

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Praying Meaningful Prayers with Our Grandchildren

Grandparents often have such a huge influence over the lives of their grandchildren.  My grandparents played a very important role in my life.  Now that I have a grand-daughter of my own, I pray often that I will be just as important in her life as my grandparents were in mine.  One way we can build close relationships with our grandchildren and help them grow closer to the Lord is to pray with them.  Here are several ways we can start praying meaningful prayers with our grandchildren.

Praying Meaningful Prayers with Our Grandchildren

Pray over them from the day they are born.  

We can begin building a culture of prayer for our grandchildren on the day they are born.  Praying over them should be just as natural as holding them.  As we cuddle those sweet newborn babies, we can breathe them in, hold them close, and sing to them, but above all, we can begin praying over them.  As our grandchildren grow, knowing we will pray over them should be just as natural to them as knowing we will feed them.

Take interest in their lives.  

My grandmothers were always interested in whatever was going on in my life.  It didn't matter how small or insignificant the issue was.  If it was important to me, it was important to them.  The same is true for our grandchildren.  Their problems may seem small to us, especially if they are still very young, but if their problems are huge for them, then they should be huge for us.  We can take opportunities to talk to them about the things that are important to them.  We should never miss the opportunity to pray with them over those things.  If they are very young, we can take a few minutes to pray a few simple sentences with them.  As they grow older, we can pray more deeply and more specifically over the struggles they face.  I know that my granddaughter will face many struggles in her life.  I want her to know that I will always be a good listener and I will always pray over her life.

Pray sincerely.

As we pray over our grandchildren, let's make sure we are sincere in our prayers and they know it.  I want my granddaughter to know that my prayers for her will never be half-hearted.  I want her to know that when I pray over her life, I will pray sincerely and boldly.  I don't want her to grow up thinking, "Maybe Nonnie will pray for me."  I want her to grow up thinking, "I need to talk to my Nonnie.  I know she will pray for me."

Allow them to pray their own prayers from their own hearts.

I titled this post "Praying Meaningful Prayers WITH Our Grandchildren because I wanted to emphasize the importance of praying together.  Part of praying with our grandchildren is teaching them to pray.  Those cute little poetry prayers are OK in the beginning, but we didn't say those too much with our own children and I don't want us to say those too much with our grandchildren.  Those repeated prayers are good tools for teaching, but we need to encourage our children and grandchildren to pray their own prayers from their own hearts as early as possible.  Let's teach our grandchildren that prayer is simply talking to God.  Let them talk to God and we can be involved in that conversation with them.  Pray together.

Pray the Scriptures over your grandchildren.  When they are with you, make sure they hear you pray.

Pray the scriptures out loud over your grandchildren.  There is something powerful about hearing the very Word of God spoken over those who we love.  For example, let's read Psalm 3:3-5.

But You, Lord, are a shield around me,
My glory, and the One who lifts my head.
I was crying out to the Lord with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.

Psalm 3:3-5

Based on Psalm 3:3-5, our prayer will be something like this:

Father God,

You, Lord, are a shield around (your grandchild's name).

You are (his/her) glory and the one who lifts (his/her) head.

(He/She) may cry out to You in the wilderness of this earthly life,

And You will answer (him/her) from Your holy mountain.

(He/she) will lay down and sleep;

Then (he/she) will awake for You sustain (him/her).

Thank you for protecting (your grandchild's name) wherever (he/she) may go.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Pray prayers of thankfulness.

Let's teach our grandchildren to pray prayers of thankfulness even when God doesn't move in the way they ask.  We need to teach our grandchildren that God's timing is perfect and His ways are higher than our ways.  Asking God to move a certain way is OK, but they need to know that his answer is not always "yes."  Sometimes, God says, "OK, but not now."  Sometimes, He says, "No, child, but I have something so much better planned for you."  Let's teach those sweet babies to trust God completely with their lives and look forward to the day each of them surrenders to the Lord and begins his or her relationship with Jesus.  Then, we can rest in the promise of spending eternity with them.  

One day, when my granddaughter (and future grandchildren) say goodby to me here on Earth, I want them to know without a shadow of a doubt that this is only a "See you later, Nonnie."  May they remember for the rest of their lives the many prayers we prayed together over the years.

If you aren't sure how to start praying for your grandchildren, The Power of a Praying Grandparent is a good resource.

The Power of a Praying Grandparent is available here.

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Valentine's Day Date Night Ideas for Busy and Tired Parents

Hey busy and tired parents!  With Valentine's Day approaching, you might be sneaking in your secret Valentine's Day gifts for your spouse or frantically grabbing those delivered packages from your front porch before your husband or your wife finds them.  You might be trying to figure out how to spend a few hours of romantic time alone on this special day, but with a growing and active family, finding time alone can be challenging.  Then, you might have to pay a baby sitter so you can enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant.  Valentine's Day can be a lot of fun, but it can also be expensive and even a little frustrating when you're trying to make your plans work out.  However, Valentine's Day dates don't need to be extravagant.  There are plenty of ways for you to celebrate the holiday without even leaving your home.  Here is a list of Valentine's Day date night ideas for all you busy and tired parents out there.

Valentine's Day Date Night Ideas for Busy and Tired Parents

Many of us can relate to the feeling of exhaustion that comes with parenting. Between changing diapers, preparing meals, cleaning up messes, and trying to keep the peace, it's no wonder that many parents feel too tired to even think about planning a date night. However, date nights are essential for maintaining a healthy and strong relationship with your spouse. They provide opportunities for couples to reconnect and remind each other of why they fell in love in the first place.

So, here is a list of simple and enjoyable date night ideas that won't leave you feeling more exhausted.

Have a picnic in your living room. It's simple, inexpensive, and you don't have to worry about finding a babysitter.

Watch a movie or a TV show together after the kids are in bed.  The Lost Valentine is a good move suggestion.  You can watch the movie trailer here.

The Lost Valentine is available here.

Have a game night. You can play board games, card games, or video games

Do both you and your spouse enjoy cooking? Try a new recipe together. It's a fun way to bond and you get to enjoy a delicious meal at the end.

The Valentine's Day cookbook is available here.

Go for a walk or a jog together. You might need a baby sitter for this one, but it's a great way to get some exercise and enjoy some fresh air.

Have a karaoke night. Just don't sing too loudly or you'll wake up the kids. 😀

Do a puzzle together. 

Have a book club night. You can read the same book and then discuss it together. You'll have to plan ahead for this idea so you'll both be finished with the book by Valentine's Day.

Love Dare is available here.

Have a craft night. You can make something together, like a scrapbook or a piece of art.

Have a gardening night. You can plant something together and watch it grow over time.

Have a meditation night. Calm your mind and relax your body by memorizing scripture together. Choose several verses that you both consider favorites. Then, meditate on them and memorize them together.

Have a stargazing night. You can look at the stars and learn about different constellations while marveling at God's creations.

Have a DIY pottery night. You can make something beautiful and functional together. If you don't have a real pottery wheel, you can find clay suitable for molding in most craft stores.

Here is another suggestion.

This pottery wheel kit is available here.

Remember, date nights don't have to be expensive or extravagant. The most important thing is that you are spending quality time together, reconnecting, and having fun. So, this Valentine's Day, try one of these date night ideas and enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable evening with your spouse.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Tina