I know that I have a few readers who aren't too religious, so I am going to preface this posting by saying that I am talking about the Bible in this one. I don't want to throw too much stuff like this in here, but if its what's on my mind, I will share it. I will just be nice enough to preface it with something like this, so if you want to skip it, feel free.
I have been thinking a lot recently about 1 Corinthians 13. As most of you know, this is known as the love chapter. In this chapter, Paul is talking about what love is. I like to think I show love to all people I meet. I know that I don't do it 100% of the time, which I do feel bad about and know I need to work on, but I do try. The part of this chapter that I recently thought about is verse 5. "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (Thanks biblegateway.com for access the verse.) For years, I took this to mean, 'Don't be angry.' I would try to always hold my temper and not get mad at people. I don't really think that is what it is saying. Don't be EASILY angered. Love can get angry. It shouldn't fly off the handle or anything, but Love can be angry. This really was just a revelation to me. I thought about it, and the Bible does say GOD is Love and that GOD was angry. I guess its sort of like how a parent can get angry with a child. Being angry with them doesn't change the love they have for their child. In fact, its usually because they love the child that they are angry. The child was being disobedient and the parent is upset for the child's own good. I guess just multiply that by like a billion and you can get a small idea of what GOD is like when HE is angry. HE doesn't fly off the handle, but is always looking out for those HE loves, us. Since a Christian is supposed to be like Christ, we need to make sure to emulate GOD's love in the small way we can.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I like how you think!!
ReplyDeleteWe are called to have patience with others, but yes, we can still get angry. We are called to be angry @ evil and injustice, as long as it moves us to "right the wrong". We are just not supposed to hold anger against others in our heart, as it does great damage to us. most people struggle with dealing with anger, some for their whole life. So you are further along than many!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood chapter, good verse.
ReplyDeleteI like your take on it. And going with it, so many of us get mad because we can't control ourselves. But if we're not "self-seeking" we only get mad to help someone else. And then we "keep no record of wrongs". We let it go. Kinda like the verse about reproving at times with sharpness, then showing an increase of love.