Challenge Yourself to Love Differently for a Day
By: Jessica Fatih. Published December 5, 2022
1 Corinthians 13:4–8a (ESV) Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth
When I think of 1 Corinthians 13, I think of it being read at a Christian wedding ceremony or given as a gift in a frame to newlyweds. It is the perfect reminder to newly married couples about love. Today, I thought of it in a whole new way.
I was texting with a friend about her middle school daughter growing up too fast. She was sharing about the events of the week. She said she reflected on it all with tears about how quickly her daughter was growing up. Ironically, the photo that appears when I receive a text from my friend is of her and her daughter at age three. Time certainly does fly by.
After we were done texting, the Corinthians verse was in my thoughts. Which at first seemed a little funny because previously, I had associated the verse with weddings. Here my friend and I reflected on how quickly our children are growing.
The more I thought about the verse and my children, I realized some important connections. Each day matters, and did I share my love with them today? How many times today was I impatient, irritable, or insisted on doing things my way? These days may be long, but my children are so precious.
What does that have to do with the Corinthians? It’s all about love. How we love. LOVE.
It is a reminder of the power of love. Corinthians reminds me of how I want to love every person.
Do I love every person in my life this way? Well no.
Life gets messy. Stress. Chaos. Schedules. Chores. Planning. Anxiety. Depression. Fighting. Disagreements. You see where I’m going with these.
Love is like a straight highway. A beautiful drive on a sunny day, windows rolled down, and all your favorite songs played.
Then real life wants to get stuck in traffic, veer off on the wrong exit, or throw some in climatic weather to make the driving conditions treacherous.
Can you imagine if we got to love each other without all the baggage that life throws at us? We would be blissful humans floating around in bubbles. Well, that sounds lovely and a little strange.
Here is what I realized. We have a choice. WE HAVE A CHOICE.
Suppose we want patient and kind love that never resents. Suppose we want a love that is not rude or irritable. Love that does not insist on its way and rejoices in the truth. We get to choose to love in this way.
So here is what I am going to practice tomorrow.
I am going to keep the Corinthians verse on my phone. I’m going to read it throughout the day.
When I struggle to get my children out the door to school tomorrow morning, I will remind myself about LOVE.
When my son begins to whine because lunch is not made fastest enough, I will remind myself about LOVE.
When I am anxious about completing my list of work goals, I will remind myself of love.
Do you see where I’m going with this? I’ll go through my day and get back to you on how it goes.
What happened in my day when I tried it?
I woke up and reread the verse. I kept it in my mind throughout the day. Here is what I found. Reminding myself about love helped soften my interactions throughout the day. I was more open and patient. In situations where I may have been quicker to respond or impatient in response, I slowed down, grounded myself, and remembered how I wanted to respond. I drew in patience, understanding, humor, and, most importantly, love. I approached the day with an open heart. I reminded myself to slow down. It truly did help my interactions with my loved ones throughout the day.
I had always thought that the Corinthians verse was just for married couples. I realized its importance in teaching or reminding us how to love everyone. It helped me open, soften and love more deeply.
Hi, I’m Jessica Faith
I would love for you to try it, and please let me know how it worked for you.