I don’t typically love it when people use well read scriptures to make a point. Often, I just want to ask them if they know of any other scriptures to prove their point.
And, let me tell you this little secret, okay? Lean in real close.....
Sometimes, when I’m reading my Bible and I come to those familiar passages of scripture..............I skip over them.
*Gasp*
I know. Total sinner.
It’s true though. I have a tendency to want something new. Something shiny. Something profound. But, one of the things the Lord has revealed to me over the course of this summer reading session is that He alone can make familiar scripture new, fresh, shiny and profound.
If I give it a chance.
So when I got to 1 Corinthians 13 I was tempted to just skip ahead.
It’s read at nearly every wedding (or at least it was at mine) and I can loosely quote it without much effort.
But today, reading it was different. I realized, too often, I entertain my family, I tolerate my family, I even accommodate my family. But do I really treat my family with love? The love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13?
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” - 1 Corinthians 13:1
Today, I didn’t speak in tongues (well, not the appropriate kind anyway) yet I told my children at least 5,783 times to (please for the love of God) speak nicely to one another, while I was doing the exact opposite.
Clang. Gong. Call me a cymbal.
“And if I give away all that I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” - 1 Corinthians 13:3
Yesterday I thought, “All I do is work, work, work, work, work for these kids. Fix their food, get a snack, pour a drink, change a diaper, wipe a nose. And they don’t appreciate me one bit! Maybe I should just sit on my duff all day and then they’ll see how much I do for them!”
Here I am. Nothing gained. And I can guarantee you my children picked up on my lack of love.
“Love is patient, love is kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not 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 with the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
This week, I’ve certainly been impatient. “I’ve told you too many times. STOP YELLING!”
More than a few times I’ve been less than kind. “Why can’t you just focus on what I’m telling you?”
I’ve been envious of the seemingly easy life someone else has.
I’ve been rude. “Why are there perfectly clean clothes in the dirty clothes bin? Do you enjoy making me do more laundry?”
I’ve insisted on my own way. “Please just stop doing that and get over here and put on your pajamas. I can see your Thomas train. I’ve seen it before. Please, hurry up!”
Irritable? Me? “Your behavior is totally getting on my nerves, kid. Totally.” Maybe just a touch.
How could a mother possibly rejoice in wrongdoing? “I’ve told you not to stand in that chair. When you fall off, it’s going to hurt and I’m not going to feel sorry for you because I’ve told you to get down several times already.”
The rest of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 promises us that prophecies, knowledge, tongues and the partial will all pass away one day.
But love? It NEVER ends.
God’s love never ends. It never ceases to be poured upon me. Even when I’m rude, impatient, hurtful, insistent, envious and boastful.
Never ending love poured upon me while I’ve shown very limited love to the people I love the most. Oh Jesus, how unworthy I am of You! How your word refines me when I allow myself to delight in it!
And to think, I would have totally missed this had I just skipped over those familiar verses.
I pray the Lord gives each of us fresh eyes as we encounter Him on the pages of Truth.
And, let me tell you this little secret, okay? Lean in real close.....
Sometimes, when I’m reading my Bible and I come to those familiar passages of scripture..............I skip over them.
*Gasp*
I know. Total sinner.
It’s true though. I have a tendency to want something new. Something shiny. Something profound. But, one of the things the Lord has revealed to me over the course of this summer reading session is that He alone can make familiar scripture new, fresh, shiny and profound.
If I give it a chance.
So when I got to 1 Corinthians 13 I was tempted to just skip ahead.
It’s read at nearly every wedding (or at least it was at mine) and I can loosely quote it without much effort.
But today, reading it was different. I realized, too often, I entertain my family, I tolerate my family, I even accommodate my family. But do I really treat my family with love? The love that is described in 1 Corinthians 13?
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” - 1 Corinthians 13:1
Today, I didn’t speak in tongues (well, not the appropriate kind anyway) yet I told my children at least 5,783 times to (please for the love of God) speak nicely to one another, while I was doing the exact opposite.
Clang. Gong. Call me a cymbal.
“And if I give away all that I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” - 1 Corinthians 13:3
Yesterday I thought, “All I do is work, work, work, work, work for these kids. Fix their food, get a snack, pour a drink, change a diaper, wipe a nose. And they don’t appreciate me one bit! Maybe I should just sit on my duff all day and then they’ll see how much I do for them!”
Here I am. Nothing gained. And I can guarantee you my children picked up on my lack of love.
“Love is patient, love is kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not 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 with the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
This week, I’ve certainly been impatient. “I’ve told you too many times. STOP YELLING!”
More than a few times I’ve been less than kind. “Why can’t you just focus on what I’m telling you?”
I’ve been envious of the seemingly easy life someone else has.
I’ve been rude. “Why are there perfectly clean clothes in the dirty clothes bin? Do you enjoy making me do more laundry?”
I’ve insisted on my own way. “Please just stop doing that and get over here and put on your pajamas. I can see your Thomas train. I’ve seen it before. Please, hurry up!”
Irritable? Me? “Your behavior is totally getting on my nerves, kid. Totally.” Maybe just a touch.
How could a mother possibly rejoice in wrongdoing? “I’ve told you not to stand in that chair. When you fall off, it’s going to hurt and I’m not going to feel sorry for you because I’ve told you to get down several times already.”
The rest of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 promises us that prophecies, knowledge, tongues and the partial will all pass away one day.
But love? It NEVER ends.
God’s love never ends. It never ceases to be poured upon me. Even when I’m rude, impatient, hurtful, insistent, envious and boastful.
Never ending love poured upon me while I’ve shown very limited love to the people I love the most. Oh Jesus, how unworthy I am of You! How your word refines me when I allow myself to delight in it!
And to think, I would have totally missed this had I just skipped over those familiar verses.
I pray the Lord gives each of us fresh eyes as we encounter Him on the pages of Truth.