#WhatIsLove

 ^“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I Corinthians 13

A wedding gift from my good friend Beth Moore Bender included a framed copy of this verse. It hung for well over a decade in our various bedrooms and bathrooms as David and I house hopped nearly every 18 months. At one point I stared at it every morning and night as I brushed my teeth and because of this, it became one of the first sections of Scripture I ever memorized.

It came in handy when dealing with sibling strife. “Love keeps no record of wrongs.”

It helped when children were being mean to one another.  I’d have them recite, “Love is not rude.”

It helped me not envy my friends and their various successes, and I learned that there was plenty of blessing to go around. “Love does not envy.”

As a mom, I easily understood, “Love always protects.”

But there are so many descriptions of love where I realize I fall so short.

To name a few:

I am easily angered.

I have next to zero patience.

There are plenty of times that I am…less than kind.

So if you’re struggling today to love your spouse, your kids, your neighbor, or your family in this way…you’re not alone. People can make it dang near impossible to trust in them, hope in them, and sometimes the struggle is so real you wonder if you can persevere.

I think the point of this scripture is that THIS is how God loves US. He wants us to know that while our love for Him or anyone else is imperfect, His perfect love will always persevere. That, my friends, gives me hope.