Dear friend,
Now we are going on to the positive aspect of love – the seven positive features of love.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NIV)
First of all, love is patient and that doesn’t vary. Each translation says the same. Impatience is basically an expression of lack of love.
Second, love is kind. Love is never unkind, it’s never negative. It always does good, it doesn’t harm.
Third, love rejoices with the truth. Love is happy when the people in another church are blessed. Love is happy when another preacher is successful. So long as the truth is prevailing, love is happy no matter who gets the credit.
Fourth, love always protects or bears all things. Nothing is too heavy for love. Another translation says, "love never springs a leak." No matter what may be the pressures, love can withhold them. I remember once that a man was praying in a church for a young man who had come forward and he said, "Lord, fill this man with your Holy Spirit." And the pastor of the church lifted his hand up and said, "Don’t, Lord, he leaks." You see, so many people get filled but they leak. One way to make sure you never leak is love. Love never springs a leak. No matter how great the pressure, love holds out.
Fifth, love always trusts or believes all things. I prefer the second translation because I think there’s this very close relationship between love and faith. Love is the product of faith and love can always believe whatever God says. Love accepts.
Sixth, love always hopes, or hopes all things. Love is optimistic. How pleasant it is to meet optimistic people, isn’t it? And what a burden it becomes when we’re with people who are always pessimistic. If you want to be popular, be optimistic. I can tell you for sure that the optimistic people are, generally speaking, the popular people in this world.
Seventh, love always perseveres. It endures all things, it never gives up.
To sum up those seven positive aspects of love I would say: love is infinitely strong. It can stand any pressure, face any situation, meet any challenge. It never gives up.
In Song of Solomon 8, verses 6 and 7, it says:
“...love is as strong as death... [That’s a tremendous statement. Because death is irresistible. There’s none of us can resist death. Love is irresistible.] Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away...” (NIV)
No matter what comes – love abides. Love is unconquerable. It’s irresistible. As a matter of fact, the death and resurrection of Jesus went one step further. It proved not merely that love is as strong as death; it proved that love is stronger than death. When love and death met, love won.
For reflection and prayer
Love is strong, even stronger than death.
