As we steadily work through 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, I pray that we are beginning to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ truly is (Ephesians 3:18).
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
I believe this not only encompasses the actual wrongs that have been done to us, but maybe even more importantly than that, the wrongs that we perceive to have been done to us as well. If we are truly being honest here, we don’t see situations as they always are. Sometimes we get offended and get a chip on our shoulder all because we “think” we know what is going on, even if we “think” we know both sides of the story. Love holds the trump card against our freedom to get offended and dangle it over someone’s head. If we truly love, then we need to be willing to rise above the little black book of memories that we can have a tendency to cling onto until our knuckles turn white. Instead, we should be thankful for the precious moments that are set before us to make things right.
I am so thankful that my Heavenly Father does not keep a little black book of offended memories dangling over my head. If there was such a book it would not be so little because I know I am a sinner of the most tiresome kind. Not only does He not keep a little black book, but according to Hebrews 8:12, the Lord forgives our sins and remembers them no more. Our sins are wiped clean out of His memory when we place them at the feet of Christ. What an amazing kind of love that is! Sometimes I only wish I was that forgetful when someone has wronged me. It truly takes work to keep my offended self from wanting to throw up an entire black book of complaints!
Love does not delight in evil.
Love does not rejoice when others are hurting. Scripture tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). However, sometimes in our capitalistic society, we can have a tendency to rejoice when things don’t go as well for others, especially when their loss is our gain. This is not love!
We serve a God who does not take delight in evil, nor does He get any satisfaction from our pain. Christ loves us so much that He willingly took on our pain, not for His gain, but for our benefit, so we might have eternal life. Our God rejoices when we rejoice and mourns when we mourn. He hurts when we are in the throngs of a painful situation and His heart celebrates with us when we are rejoicing. What a beautiful picture of love!
Love rejoices in the truth.
Love turns it’s back on evil, but runs with arms wide open to truth. This is exactly what we must be willing to do. We must be willing to reject the evil and safeguard truth in our lives. Love flourishes in truth but is suffocated by evil. I am so grateful to serve a God whose very nature is truth.
Heavenly Father, I thank you that your love keeps no records of wrongs. I am thankful that your love does not delight in evil, but it rejoices in the truth. Help us to be filled with the kind of love that does not carry around a memory book of offenses towards others of when they have wronged us. Help us not to delight in evil, or secretly be happy when someone’s loss is our worldly gain. Help us to remember just how much pain you took on for our benefit. Lord, your love is truly amazing and we are forever grateful! We pray all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ.
To read any other posts from this series on God’s love please visit the Love series page.
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