Love endures long and is patient and kind; Love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtly. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes not account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never faids out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
And so faith, hope, love abide [faith - conviction and believe respecting man's relation to God and devine things; hope - joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love - true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 and 13
It amazes me how little I seem to love, the kind of love described above, when I read these words. I fall short of this kind of love more days than I ever could match it. I can only pray and seek God to show me how to love as He made love to be. I can only praise God for His imense love and extraordinary grace. I am thankful that He has shown me love, shown me how to love, graced me with amazing family and friends to love and even for the opportunities He allows to strengthen and grow my love for all mankind.
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