Love is not

I don't always do well simply reading the Bible. It doesn't just make sense to me every time. Truth be told, I've read the Bible cover to cover a few times, and I still don't get it all.

I love that no matter how many times I read the Bible, I still have more to learn and understand. That's cool to me. But it requires more work, and sometimes that's frustrating.

I like reading commentaries and grasping something new about something I've read or heard a thousand times. Growing up in the church can cause such a mundane feeling when it comes to the Bible. It really can get so boring without context.

So I was thinking about 1 Corinthians 13... you know, the "love chapter." It's quoted endlessly, even by people who don't give a rip about the Bible or any kind of faith.

So in this commentary, I learned something very thought provoking.

Most of what the love chapter talks about is what love is NOT.

This letter about love wasn't just so the church in Corinth could practice love. It was correctional. Saying love isn't jealous, or proud was specific to them. They were very jealous and proud people. Saying that love doesn't keep record of wrongs or insist on one's own way was because they did keep record of wrongs and they did insist on their own ways rather than thinking about someone else.

The "love chapter" we apply to seemingly everything was written with such specific purpose. We use it so broadly. So generally. So much more loosely than it was originally used.

Sure we can apply the principles taught in the passage... the fruit of the spirit all give birth to each other.. you really can't be kind without gentleness. You can't be peaceful and not loving. But the passage was written with very pin pointed implications.

It made me start to wonder what a letter written to me about love would look like.

Love is not...

Well, how don't I show love?

Dear Shai,

Love is not snapping at your husband when he's exhausted too.

Love is not letting your mind wander when someone is trying to talk to you.

Love is not taking the easy way out because you don't feel like putting in the effort on someone else's behalf.

The list would go on and on and on and on.

Seeing love defined so tailored to my life is much more convicting than reading 1 Corinthians 13 for me, honestly.

I'd imagine the church at Corinth feeling very convicted by 1 Corinthians 13 because it was about them specifically.

So, yeah. I learn a lot more when I understand the context. Suddenly, something I've heard a thousand and one times hits me head on. Love is not... me.