Lesson 6 - Deeper in Love

Love. So many people have different definitions of this word. Some people say it to their friends in a "love ya" sort of way. This only means, in my opinion, "thanks for doing whatever you just did for me that made me better." In other forms, "I love you," we feel there is more meaning behind. This is why when men tell women "love you" or "love ya" they get upset. They want to here the I in front of love that gives it more meaning to us and the world that we live in. However, as I said last time. We can't love God until we love everyone and we can't really love everyone without knowing God... interesting isn't it. I shared 2 and 3 John last time, but I'm going to share the scripture which everyone knows about love. 1Corinthians 13.

3 And if I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Love suffereth long, [and] is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6 rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Love never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall be done away; whether [there be]tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. 13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

1. Love never gives up,
2. cares more for others than for self,
3. doesn't want what it doesn't have,
4. doesn't strut,
5. doesn't have a swelled head,
6. doesn't force itself on others,
7. isn't always "me first,"
8. doesn't fly off the handle,
9. doesn't keep score,
10. doesn't revel when others grovel,
11. takes pleasure in the truth,
12. puts up with anything,
13. trusts God always,
14. always looks for the best,
15. never looks back,
16. it never dies.

Because of all these things that love does/doesn't do or is/isn't, I wonder if I could feel this for everyone as God wants us to do. I'm sorry, but I know that in this world, if you don't think me first, you won't have a job. If you don't want what you don't have, the economy would crash. If it puts up with anything, then people who are beat should just "take it like a man." I'm not sure that I'm ok with that last one especially! I would love to be able to think the best in people as we should judge others with the scales in their favor, but to think that I would have to believe everything that someone says, in this day in age, is freakin crazy. So many people lie; I lie! If I can lie, why should I trust anyone else not to? I understand that I should not lie, and I am going to try not to anymore; however, I will stumble, this I must acknowledge. So, I will try to do all of these things, I really will. But this in and of itself is going to take some time. This is the biggest lesson to learn. When I can love myself I can love others, when I can love others I can love God in the way that he states in 2 and 3 John. I must keep this in mind. I must remember these things.