Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, boastful, proud, rude, or irritable. I’m curious—does anyone actually loves like this because I don’t.
The notion of being loved by someone who never gives up on us, never loses faith in us, always exudes hope and stands by our side through cancer, job loss, seasons of doubt or mental health issues causes our expectations to soar. No wonder 1 Corinthians 13 is the most commonly read passage of Scripture at weddings.
But what happens when we try to put this kind of love into practice?
I am sometimes impatient, unkind, jealous, arrogant, and rude on the same afternoon. Just ask my husband (or sons) for confirmation on this. If love really is the most excellent way, why do we consistently fall short?
- We assume love is a feeling rather than a choice. Whenever my husband eats ice cream before bed, he snores. I am a light sleeper. About an hour after the three scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream descend into his stomach, he begins making guttural noises akin to a wild boar being chased by lions. In such moments, love is not the word that I would use to describe my feelings. I must choose to love him.
- We assume love is a phenomenon beyond our control that happens to us. While there is an element of being hoodwinked by infatuation’s feel-good hormones, we must work—and work hard—to develop and maintain love.
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