Love Believes the Best

Though I speak with tongues of men and of angles, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  


And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 


And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.  1Corinthians 13:1-3

Our love walk (how we relate and treat others) is so vital to our relationship with the Lord. 

Without love, the words we speak are just noise, and irritating to those around us.

Without love, all the gifts the Lord has given us are useless. 

We could serve in the church day and night and give everything we have to the poor, but without love, He says it is all nothing. 

God has been drawing my attention to the "love passage". 

Yes, I know it is familiar....but I want to encourage you to look at it with fresh eyes.  There is more there than originally meets the eye.  I am going to elaborate on a couple of phrases of the passage from Corinthians 13 that the Lord put emphasis on for me.....

Love suffers long and is kind (1Cor 13:4).  Other translations say, "Love is patient and kind." 

The footnotes in my Bible add...Love is "having patience with imperfect people". 

Ponder "patience with imperfect people."  Love doesn't get upset with the lady driving 35 in a 45.  Love doesn't snap at the grocer at the check out when she needs a price check (not even in thought).  Love doesn't use an ugly tone with her spouse if he forgets something she asks him to do. Love doesn't yell at the kids...

People are imperfect.  People make mistakes, and love gives people the grace to be.... well, people. 

Love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
  
does not behave rudely,  (has good manners and is courteous)

does not seek its own,  (does not insist on its own rights or demand precedence)

is not provoked,  (is not irritable or touchy)

thinks no evil;  (doesn't keep an account of wrongs done to it, it forgives)

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth;  (does not rejoice in the shortcomings of others or spreads gossip)

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  (love believes the best in others and credits them with good intentions)

Love never fails.  1 Cor 13:4-8 


That last part is the part God has been dealing with me about.  Love believes.  Love believes the best of others and credits them with good intentions. 

Recently, there was a series of things my husband did that I took the wrong way.  Sorry Honey.  When I confronted him, I was not in love.  It was in a "why did you do that" kind of way.  I did not credit him with good intentions.

Like I said above, people mess up.  People do things without meaning to hurt or slight us, and it is up to us how we react. 

We can get angry with our friend who didn't call us back or we can realize how busy she is credit her with good intentions. She probably just completely forgot.  Call her.

We can get angry with our spouse for not doing that thing we have asked them to do a million times or we can believe the best of them.  Life is full of daily life stuff.  I can't remember to do it all, can you?  I know it is important to you, just be patient with them and pray. 

Love doesn't judge others, it is not critical or demanding.  Love sees the best in people and not the worst. 

I pray I would be someone who believes the best of others.  I pray I would see people as God sees them.  I pray I would be a person who gives grace just as I need grace from others. 

Try to believe the best of others today.  Be patient with others realizing we too need others to be patient with us.  We are not perfect.  We need love and grace as much as we need to give it. 

Dear Lord, I pray I would love others as you do.  I pray I would see others as you do.  I pray I would be patient with those around me and display Your love to them.  I pray I would not be irritable or touchy.  I pray I would credit others with good intentions and not be offended.  Help me respond as You would. Please help me walk in Your love.  In Jesus Precious Name, Amen.