is forgotten in what we seek to achieve (Galatians 5:22). In I Corinthians 12 and 13 Paul deals with the gifts of the Spirit. At the end of chapter 12 he comments beautifully, "But I show you a more excellent way." This is the perfect prelude to the great love chapter of the Bible. Here he forcefully points out that although one may have a diversity of gifts yet they are absolutely worthless unless there is love. I Corinthians 13 is so very clear on this point. He is not talk ing about verbal love. The refer ence is to real, genuine, personal, experiential love. This is far from the sentimental permissiveness of today's society. The real definition of Biblical love is found in verses four to seven of I Corinthians 13. We are told that "love suffereth long." In other words, it does not have a low boiling point or a short fuse. Such love does not blow its top and is not impatient. Notice the next thought. "Love suffereth long and is kind." This kind of divine affection is always courteous and thoughtful. The word "courteous" is very interest ing. It comes from the Latin root of the term "heart." This suggests that kindness is always having someone in your heart. As believ ers, we do it for the sake of our blessed Lord since He is not here to be kind to people. We take His place until He returns, exercising the kindness that would glorify His name. When our home was in Philadel phia we lived in a large apartment house with 5,000 other people. Mrs. Keiper came from town on one occasion and the car was filled with many shopping bags of gro ceries. She called our doorman and
asked, "David, will you take these up to the kitchen for me?" He was so gracious and helpful that when he was finished my wife offered him a tip. Although he accepted it, he explained, "When we do things for you, you do not always have to give a tip. We know that you and your husband really love us." That was a real compliment. We have always considered people who serve us just as important as the President. We see them not as porters and doormen but as souls for whom Christ died. We do not believe in a caste system. At Cal vary the ground was level! Then we are told that love does not envy, it is not jealous. Have you learned to be content in the state in which you find yourself? Christ is sufficient for all our needs. We do not have to envy what oth er people have. We can truly rest in the Lord and in His grace. Not have I gotten but what I received, Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed. Love has a humility which is not false piety. Every blessing it has comes from the hand of the Fath er. It is not puffed up. Love sent from God is not vain or suspicious. It does not behave itself unfittingly and is not easily provoked. There is rejoicing in that which is true rather than in that which is evil. This is the social di mension of God's love. We are ambassadors of the Lord. By inte grating with the things of this life, there is a sense in which we gain our worldliness at the expense of our Christlikeness. Ifwe really iden tify ourself with the Saviour we will not be unsensitive to the world. Page 29
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