What Love Is 8 “Love is long-suffering.” Being long-suffering means patiently putting up with others. (Colossians 3:13) Do we not need such patience? Because we are imperfect creatures serving shoulder to shoulder, it is only realistic to expect that from time to time, our Christian brothers may irritate us and we may do the same to them. But patience and forbearance can help us to cope with the minor scrapes and scratches we sustain in our dealings with others—without disrupting the peace of the congregation. 9 “Love is . . . kind.” Kindness is shown by helpful acts and considerate words. Love moves us to look for ways to show kindness, especially toward those most in need. For instance, an older fellow believer may be lonely and in need of an encouraging visit. A single mother or a sister living in a religiously divided home may need some assistance. One who is ill or facing some adversity may need to hear kind words from a loyal friend. (Proverbs 12:25; 17:17) When we take the initiative to show kindness in such ways, we demonstrate the genuineness of our love.—2 Corinthians 8:8. 10 “Love . . . rejoices with the truth.” Another version says: “Love . . . joyfully sides with the truth.” Love moves us to uphold truth and to “speak truthfully with one another.” (Zechariah 8:16) If, for example, a loved one has been involved in serious sin, love for Jehovah—and for the erring one—will help us hold to God’s standards rather than trying to conceal, rationalize, or even lie about the wrongdoing. Granted, the truth of the situation may be hard to accept. But having the best interests of our loved one at heart, we would want him to receive and respond to an expression of God’s loving discipline. (Proverbs 3:11, 12) As loving Christians, we also wish to “conduct ourselves honestly in all things.”—Hebrews 13:18. 11 “Love . . . bears all things.” That expression literally means “all things it is covering.” (Kingdom Interlinear) First Peter 4:8 states: “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Yes, a Christian who is governed by love is not eager to drag into the light of day all the imperfections and shortcomings of his Christian brothers. In many cases, the mistakes and faults of fellow believers are minor in nature and can be covered by the cloak of love.—Proverbs 10:12; 17:9. 12 “Love . . . believes all things.” Moffatt’s translation says that love is “always eager to believe the best.” We are not unduly suspicious of fellow believers, questioning their every motive. Love helps us “to believe the best” about our brothers and to trust them. Note an example in Paul’s letter to Philemon. Paul was writing in order to encourage Philemon to welcome kindly the return of the runaway slave Onesimus, who had become a Christian. Instead of trying to coerce Philemon, Paul made an appeal based on love. He expressed confidence that Philemon would do the right thing, saying: “Trusting in your compliance, I am writing you, knowing you will even do more than the things I say.” (Verse 21) When love moves us to express such confidence in our brothers, we bring out the best in them. 13 “Love . . . hopes all things.” Even as love is trustful, it is also hopeful. Motivated by love, we hope the best for our brothers. For example, if a brother takes a “false step before he is aware of it,” we hope that he will respond to loving efforts to readjust him. (Galatians 6:1) We also hold out hope that those who are weak in faith will recover. We are patient with such ones, doing what we can to help them become strong in faith. (Romans 15:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:14) Even if a loved one goes astray, we do not give up hope that someday he will come to his senses and return to Jehovah, like the prodigal son in Jesus’ illustration.—Luke 15:17, 18. 14 “Love . . . endures all things.” Endurance enables us to stand firm in the face of disappointments or hardships. Tests of endurance do not come only from outside the congregation. At times, we may be tested from within. Because of imperfection, our brothers may on occasion disappoint us. A thoughtless remark may hurt our feelings. (Proverbs 12:18) Perhaps a congregation matter is not handled as we think it should be. The conduct of a respected brother may be upsetting, causing us to wonder, ‘How can a Christian act like that?’ When faced with such situations, will we withdraw from the congregation and stop serving Jehovah? Not if we have love! Yes, love prevents us from becoming so blinded by the failings of a brother that we can no longer see any good in him or in the congregation as a whole. Love enables us to remain faithful to God and supportive of the congregation regardless of what another imperfect human may say or do.—Psalm 119:165.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 23:29:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015