Love is patient. Love is kind. I Corinthians 13:4a
Love, THE defining essence, quality, attribute of God, Creator, Redeemer, Giver of life, Grace and Mercy. It is word/concept abused, tossed negligently to manipulate and control, and is grievously misunderstood. So, God does what God does. He inspired Paul to clear things up with a bold indisputable model of this most important verb.
I love the way The Message translates this passage, so I will leave it here. If what you see, experience or even do, does not align with this, it’s time to reflect and correct.
4-7. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when other grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back but keeps on going to the end. Love never dies.
L.O.V.E.
Gretchen