Love is patient and 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 at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends." 1 Corthinthians 13:4-8a
This is a pretty popular passage from the Bible. A lot of my friends that aren't Christians can even quote part of this scripture if not all of it. Living in community for the past 6 months has opened my eyes to what it really means to love. Month 2 I was challenged by one of my squad leaders to replace the word "love" with Jesus. Since Jesus is love all the attributes of love describe Him perfectly. She didn't stop there. She told us to replace Jesus with our name. As Christians we strive to live, look and love like Jesus. So am I patient, kind, etc.
This past month I was challenged once again by a teammate with this passage. What does the "Love Chapter" look like living in community on the Race? For me, this is it….
Love is patient. Love chooses “in” even on the hard days. Love waits for the teammate who waited to the last minute to pack. It waits while everyone goes to the bathroom. Love takes care of a sick teammate. Love waits for the indecisive teammates. Love stays up to midnight for weeks to do lice checks. Love finds laughter in lice checks. Love sits in silence while a teammate cries out to God in the wee hours of the early morning.
Love is kind. Love shares a tent when a teammate’s tent has flooded. Love carries a pack for an injured teammate. Love runs packs across the border minutes before the border closes. Love shares its hidden pack of double stuffed Oreos and peanut butter. Love shares its last motion sickness pill on an elephant ride. Love encourages and serves its team and ministry.
Love does not envy. Love is content with what is in her pack. Love supports, prays and encourages for her team leader and squad leaders. Love does not think she could do a better job than the people God has appointed to those positions. Love does not compare herself to her teammates and squad mates. Love is confident in who God created her to be and her identity is secure in Christ. Love rejoices when her teammates experience more of the Holy Spirit!
Love does not boast. Love knows that everything she does is by the power that God has given her. Love gives all glory to God. Love knows when she is down on her knees and is weakest, that is when Christ is strongest.
Love is not arrogant. Love nails her pride and selfishness to the cross. Love knows that she is not entitled to anything. Love has no expectations. Love is vulnerable. Love remembers wisdom comes from within. Love knows she doesn’t deserve anything she has.
Love is not rude. Love does not gossip. Love speaks life and not death. Love pays attention when someone is talking and is not distracted with other things. Love closes the computer when a teammate has received a devastating email, or just had a bad skype call with a parent. Love does not interrupt when someone is talking.
Love does not insist on its own way. Love has high preference. Love give up “the good seat” on travel days so the tall guys have leg room. Love puts its own agenda aside and does what is best for the team, and ministry. Love doesn’t have to have the last word. Love respects authority and decisions made by leaders and coaches. Love has one on one dates with teammates when she would rather be doing something else.
Love is not irritable. Love controls her tongue, and doesn’t snap at teammate for no reason. Love takes her bad attitude to the cross instead of taking it out on others. Love never belittles a teammate with her jokes.
Love is not resentful. Love is not easily offend-able and does not hold grudges. Love is quick to apologize. Love does not look for ways to get even, but forgives quickly.
Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love sees a person’s heart, the way God sees. Love sees the potential and what God created you to be. Love doesn’t want you to stay the way you are, but calls you into greatness. Love is the 24 hour rule. Love accepts and is thankful for feedback and takes it back to God.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love is constant. Love will always be there, on the good days, hard days, and the average days. Love comes alongside her teammate and helps carry others burdens. Love prays and seeks God first. Love seeks truth, and puts her hope in the Truth. Love snuggles on the hardest days.
Love never ends. Love in unconditional. Love never fails. Love never runs out. Love never gives up. Love gives and never expects things in return. Love looks past everything and sees the heart of our Creator.
