Biblical Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul talks about love and its preeminence over speech, knowledge, generosity, and self-sacrifice (vv. 1-3). He then describes the nature of biblical love, which is patient, kind, humble, and slow to anger (vv. 4-7).

Practicing this kind of love, however, isn’t always easy. One reason is that it doesn’t come naturally. Pure Christian love puts others ahead of ourselves, even when our human inclinations clamor to take the highest position for ourselves (v. 5). A second challenge is the temptation to withhold affection until others apologize or change their behavior. We typically remember the offense long after it has occurred. But that’s not what Christ did—He loved us while we were still sinners (Luke 23:34).

We are called to love both the Lord and people around us (Mark 12:30-31). We’ve received the Holy Spirit, who will help us learn how to care deeply for others. Experiencing the Father’s love and demonstrating it to those around us are meant to be two of the greatest joys in a believer’s life. Take time to memorize the attributes of biblical love from today’s passage, and look for ways to practice them in your relationships.

Bible in One Year:Numbers 17-19