Scripture

Love is patient; love is kind. Love isn’t envious, doesn’t boast, brag, or strut about. There’s no arrogance in love; 5 it’s never rude, crude, or indecent—it’s not self-absorbed. Love isn’t easily upset. Love doesn’t tally wrongs 6 or celebrate injustice; but truth—yes, truth—is love’s delight! 7 Love puts up with anything and everything that comes along; it trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (VOICE)

The Gist

Today, we discuss why these verses make Allison roll her eyes.

Sometimes scripture is so overquoted and used in the wrong context it loses its weight and meaning. That’s especially ironic in these verses since Paul wrote them to call out and convict the people of Corinth, who thought that they already understood love.

He wasn’t writing poetry for couples or talking about romantic love in 1 Corinthians. He was writing to a church that was failing when it came to love.

In fact, it quietly describes the life of Jesus, not an ideal personality or marriage. These verses were written to confront our wills and call us to surrender back into obedience.

The gist is, our discomfort with this verse is the tension between a beautiful idea of Christ's love, and the real-world harm misapplied theology and incorrect use can have over time.

Digging Deeper

Can you relate to what we shared today about these verses from 1 Corinthians? Do they bother you because they have been made sentimental, because they refuse to let you off the hook, or something else?

How did it feel to hear that these verses weren't written by Paul to be sentimental, but surgical? What does that mean to you?

Is there a scripture that brings up strong emotional responses in you? Consider sitting down with curiosity and journaling through those thoughts.