True Love...

"A new commandment I give to you, that you LOVE one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By THIS all people will know that you are my disciples... if you have LOVE for one another." (John 13:34-35, ESV)

True love...do you know what it is...if so, do you have it? Let's check and see.

According to 1 Cor. 13

Love is...

1. Patient

2. Kind

3. Does not envy

4. Does not boast

5. Is not arrogant

6. Is not rude

7. Does not insist on its way

8. Is not irritable

9. Is not resentful

10. Does not rejoice at wrong-doing

11. Rejoices with the truth

12. Bears all things

13. Believes all things

14. Hopes all things,

15. Endures all things

16. Love never ends

My "little brain" has been thinking today. These are some of my thoughts...for what it's worth:

When someone speaks to others in a demeaning way...is that love?

When you find it easy to "give a piece of your mind" and "tell someone off"...is that love?

When you treat a brother as if he is a "nobody"...is that love?

When you speak lies about someone...is that love?

When you knock them further down with hurtful words than they already are...is that love?

When you gossip and say hurtful things...is that love?

When you yell and scream at those you say you care about...is that love?

When you abuse them, emotionally or physically...is that love?

We are living in perilous times. Why don't we all STOP and CHECK our hearts and ask God to cleanse us from anything that would keep us from having TRUE LOVE. I've told God before that He knows my deepest thoughts, and can go into my heart, into the furtherest corner and see more than I can see. He knows what my motives are and the very tiny seeds of ugly spirits and attitudes that may be taking root that will spring up later with a putrid word or deed.

My heart cries out...CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, OH GOD! RENEW IN ME A RIGHT SPIRIT!