Valentines day devo 1 cor 13_4_8

4 Love is patient, love is kind and bis not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. (love is not enough.. worldly wisdom, because they don’t have love they are unable to love)

A. Love is patient and kind (v. 4).

Love rises above petty things and is generous in the way it treats others. It is easy to “love” when people are lovable; how difficult it is to love when they injure or attack us in one way or another. Think of Christ’s patience with Peter after the times Peter sinned against Him, and you have some idea of what this means. Love not only patiently bears with wrongs, but it positively acts in deeds of kindness.

B. Love never simmers with jealousy (v. 4).

Envy is a terrible sin; Cain envied his brother and killed him! How do we react when other Christians receive blessings or benefits that we lack? Do we allow the sparks of envy to burn and then come to a full flame?

C. Love is not boastful or proud (v. 4).

“Puffed up” refers to the inward feeling; “vaunteth” refers to the outward displays of self-importance.

D. Love is not rude or self-seeking (v. 5).

There is a graciousness about the person who acts from Christian love, a charm that the world cannot give. True love seeks only the good of others; it is unselfish. Can you see this love displayed in Christ’s life?

E. Love is not provoked, nor does it harbor evil thoughts (v. 5).

The word “easily” does not belong here. Christian love shows no irritation, as the flesh too often does. Love does not keep account books of the evil things people do, or the hurts received from them. In fact, love is never glad when others get involved in evil, but love is always glad when others are walking in the truth.

F. Love gives victory (v. 7).

Through Christ’s love in us, we can bear up under anything, have faith, and continue in hope. “It gives us power to endure in anything” v. 7, (WMS). Love always leads to victory!

In these verses, Paul gently rebuked the sins of the Corinthians. They did not have patience with each other in the assembly (14:29–32); they envied the spiritual gifts others possessed (14:1); they were proud and critical (12:21–26); they did not have modesty or grace in their behavior (12:2–16); they sought to uphold their own rights (chaps. 8–10) even if it hurt others; they were easily provoked, and even sued one another (6:1–8); and they rejoiced at sin when they should have judged it (5:1–13). We can also see in these verses a picture of Christ who alone perfectly manifests the love of God to us. We can substitute the word “Christ” for “charity” in this chapter.

Intro: stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today.