Scripture to follow…

One of the realities that we live with is that we are all works in progress.  We have strong points and weak points.  There are areas where we have really grown in God, and then there are those areas where our growth is stunted or nonexistent.  We can become callous to the reality of who we are; the ‘who we are’ that others encounter.

In looking at our lives, there are many attributes of our character.  I would like us to look at each of the following and prayerfully ask the Lord to help us to have eyes to see where we are in the continuum that exists for each.  This assumes that we know what each of the attributes is.  Do we know what being polite looks like?  What about the nuances of being rude?  Do we readily recognize inappropriate pride in our lives?  How does it differ from humility?

Considering the illustration of ‘sour to sweet’, do we understand that there are many degrees between the two?  Such as really sour; to sour; to slightly sour; to not sweet enough; to just right.  Where do you see yourself on each of the following spectrums?

• Rude               to                     Polite
• Proud              to                     Humble
• Boastful          to                     Not boastful
• Unkind            to                     Kind
• Easily angered             to         Not easily angered
• Remember wrongs      to         Overlook wrongs
• Impatient         to                   Patient
• Envious             to                   Not envious
• Self-seeking               to         Not self-seeking
• Delight in evil             to         Rejoice with truth
• Unprotective              to         Protective
• Untrusting                  to         Trusting
• Skeptical                     to         Hopeful
• Gives up easily           to         Perseveres
• Fails                             to         Never fails

We must recognize that the ingredients on the right are those of God’s Kingdom.  Those on the left speak of another kingdom in this world.  (It’s a place we aren’t even supposed to visit alone live there!)

You have probably surmised that this listing has to do with the attributes of love from 1 Corinthians 13.  The more our lives fall to the right side of each of the above continuums, the more they are demonstrating love of Christ.  Think of them as identifying ‘whose’ we are!  (Children of Light or children of darkness)  Here is the way Paul puts it:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  ⁸Love never fails.