Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:5-7 NRSV)
These verses from Corinthians are a favorite among those who are about to be married. They are about relationships. However, they are not specific to marital relationships. They apply to us all.
The Youth Correctional Facility, that I previously worked at, used Cognitive Behavior Therapy to try to help these young men to live fuller lives after they were released. They were called on every arrogant and rude thing that came out of their mouths and every arrogant and rude act that they committed. The hope was that they would learn to have empathy for those who they would otherwise victimize.
One of the goals we worked with the teen-agers on was to not be attempting to justify their words or actions with more words or actions. Simply put, the "blame game" was often played. It was a ruse to make themselves look better than others. Words were used to try to explain why they were right in what they said or did because someone else was wrong. Of course, when someone employed the "blame game," they were not totally direct about it. They often insinuated things in hopes that they would not be called on trying to justify their own harmful words or actions.
Unfortunately, it is not only those who are incarcerated who attempt to justify their sinful actions. Many Christians also have a tendency to try to justify their words or actions by pointing their fingers at someone else. They sometimes try to manipulate people into believing that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Often, they are arrogant enough to think that everyone around them is buying their stories.
There is one who will never buy the lie. That is God. He knows our heart's intentions. He knows every one of our thoughts. We are very fortunate that He is a loving God and gives us many opportunities to turn around and follow in the Way that He would have us go.
These verses in First Corinthians about love are about relationships. They remind us that we are to love God and one another even as He loves us. That means that we ought not be rude or arrogant to the people around us and we definitely should not be blaming others for our rudeness or our arrogance.
May God help each of us to love and respect one another and to not be attempting to justify our own sins. Jesus is our only justification. He bore the penalty for our sins so that we could live new lives in Him. Let us live those new lives!
God's Peace - Pr. J
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