June 3, 2023: Love Is Patient And Kind

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant” (1 Corinthians 13:4, ESV)

First, let's look at love. The word for love is agape. It is the highest kind of love known. It is how God loves. It gives and gives and expects nothing in return to stay motivated to love more. Paul then starts to tell us what agape love looks like.

Agape love is patient and kind. Let us pause and take inventory of how well we are doing in the areas of patience and kindness when it comes to those closest to us. The word patient comes from a Greek word meaning 'long duration to anger.' This person does not know when to stop, quit or give up. Agape becomes more determined as the struggle intensifies. Agape love prevents you from giving up on people. 

Agape is kind. 'Kind' comes from a Greek word meaning to be compliant to the needs of others. Agape love helps you to change to become what others need you to be. It considers others before itself. Jesus was kind to lepers, bleeding women, demoniacs, etc. He became what they needed Him to be. He touched those that society had marginalized and brought them back in. Jesus was kind to the woman caught in adultery and was about to be stoned. He rebuked her accusers, showed her kindness, and told her to sin no more. God's love is patient and kind! That's who He is.