Love defined

1 Corinthians 13:4, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast, it is not proud.

Can you imagine the world we would live in if people operated by the principle that says, "Don’t look out for your own needs and interests, but for the needs of others? We live in a culture that tells us to forget about others and to look out for number-one. But we should remember that God’s love is patient. And as the body of Christ, the love we have should be patient.

Another way to translate the phrase, "Love suffers long" from 1 Corinthians 13 is "Love is long-tempered." This common New Testament term is used almost exclusively in speaking of being patient with people rather than being patient with circumstances or events. Love’s patience is the ability to be inconvenienced again and again (and yes, in some cases it seems to go on forever).

The last words of Stephen, the first martyr of the church, were those of patient forgiveness: "Lord, do not charge them with this sin" (Acts 7:60). As he was dying, he prayed for his murderers rather than for himself. This is the same kind of love Jesus spoke of that turns the other cheek. It is the kind of love that has as its primary concern not its own welfare, but the welfare of others.

And love is kind. Just as patience will take anything from others, kindness will give anything to others. To be kind means to be useful, serving, and gracious. It is active goodwill. Love not only feels generous; it is generous. Love not only desires the welfare of others; love works for it.
However, if you wait for this emotion to come, you may never experience kindness. Remember, love is active. Love is kind. So just be kind, even if you don’t feel kind.
That’s what God’s love is: patient and kind.

Working towards being more patient and kind,
Pastor Mike













Oh no, here we go again.

An angry motorist went back to a garage where he'd purchased an expensive battery for his car six months earlier.

"Listen," the motorist grumbled to the owner of the garage, "when I bought that battery you said it would be the last battery my car would ever need. It died after only six months!"

"Sorry," apologised the garage owner. "I didn't think your car would last longer than that."