In our house group last night we studied the Apostle Paul's definition of Love in 1Corinthians 13 :4-7... He was speaking to a church at Corinth that had its problems ,people falling out with each other etc ... nothing changes there then :-)
Anyway he said if you don't have love then your just a clanging gong ...all noise and no substance , no heart ... So last night my small group took the love test according to the passage . I gave them a working definition ( according to the original Greek) of each of the elements of biblical love in the passage and asked them to score themselves on a scale of 1-9 ..and if they were really brave, get someone they trust who knows them well to also score them and then compare notes !!!
So here they are have fun :-) ...If you are like me then you will feel really beaten up after this exercise especially if your wife does the scoring !!!! :-)
Love is ...
PATIENT …specifically in relationships ..
KIND.. Gentle in behaviour
REJOICES IN THE TRUTH … Takes delight in God's truth , delights in seeing and doing good .
ALWAYS PROTECTIVE … Covers over the faults of others .. 1 Peter 4:8.
ALWAYS TRUSTING .. Puts their faith in other men /women
ALWAYS HOPEFUL .. Sees the bright side of things ..doesn't despair .
ALWAYS PERSEVERES.. Doesn’t give up on something or someone ,particularly when the tough times come.
Is Not
ENVIOUS … in the context of other people gifts
BOASTFUL … Of what you are and what you can do .
PROUD … arrogant
RUDE.. , course in language and indecent or crude in behaviour .
SELF -SEEKING …self centred , selfish . Seeking your own interests .
EASILY ANGERED … easily provoked , don't easily fly off the handle ! Touchy ..
KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS .. Unforgiving attitude .. Doesn’t forgive and move on .
DELIGHTING IN EVIL… takes pleasure in what is wrong .
REJOICES IN THE TRUTH … Takes delight in God's truth , delights in seeing and doing good .
ALWAYS PROTECTIVE … Covers over the faults of others .. 1 Peter 4:8.
ALWAYS TRUSTING .. Puts their faith in other men /women
ALWAYS HOPEFUL .. Sees the bright side of things ..doesn't despair .
ALWAYS PERSEVERES.. Doesn’t give up on something or someone ,particularly when the tough times come.
Is Not
ENVIOUS … in the context of other people gifts
BOASTFUL … Of what you are and what you can do .
PROUD … arrogant
RUDE.. , course in language and indecent or crude in behaviour .
SELF -SEEKING …self centred , selfish . Seeking your own interests .
EASILY ANGERED … easily provoked , don't easily fly off the handle ! Touchy ..
KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS .. Unforgiving attitude .. Doesn’t forgive and move on .
DELIGHTING IN EVIL… takes pleasure in what is wrong .
