Okay, so if y'all can remember, on Valentines Day I did an article on love. Well, the next Monday I was going to do one on what love is, and then I forgot and then I got busy and now I am FINALLY writing my article on what love is. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Didn't you JUST do an article on what love is just a couple months ago?" Well, yes, but this one is a little bit different.
Okay, so we have all heard 1 Corinthians 13 over and over and over again, talking about how we should love each other and all that good stuff. Well, since I'm sure you are already familiar with that passage, I won't really go into that except to list all the things that go in with love which are patience, kindness, not being envious, not boasting, not arrogant or rude, doesn't insist on its own way, doesn't rejoice in wrong doing, rejoices in truth, bears all, hopes all, and believes all things, and never goes away. Okay, so now that we've got that out of the way, let's move on.
Everyone has enemies. Everyone. Maybe it's someone who hurt you, or maybe who you hurt and they won't forgive you. Maybe that person has no reason for disliking you, but they do anyway. Maybe you've got one of each! Now, I'm sure you've heard Matthew 5:44 which says, "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Which, basically we take to mean to just not be mean to those who don't like us, or just to not hate them. Well, when it says to love your enemies, that is the same word that is defined in 1 Corinthians. That means that we need to be patient with our enemies, and we need to be kind to our enemies, we don't need to envy them, or brag to them. We shouldn't be arrogant or rude towards them. We shouldn't insist on our own way, or be glad when something bad happens to them or when they do something bad. And the same thing when it says you need to love your neighbor, and any other time you find the word "love" in the Bible.
So next time you're reading your Bible and come across the word "love", I would like to encourage you to think about what that means. Also, when you come across that person who really makes you want to punch them in the face every time they speak to you, think about what love really is, and think that that is the same love that you have to apply to that person. Even though it's hard, if you have a good attitude towards that person, then when you walk away you'll walk away feeling much better than that person who was rude to you. :)
