Love: Over-used + Under-lived
“Patient and Kind”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” –John 13:35

Sine qua non
Without love; Nothing

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Paul is not defining love, but rather how we’re called to apply love habitually to every relationship, starting in the Church.

Love
Exercises patience: “longsuffering, slow to anger” 
Showing kindness: “undeserved generosity” 

Patience: Longsuffering love 
	
Two expressions of being patient:
Patient in Circumstances
Patient in Relationships

1. Starts with an awareness of God’s patience

“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” – Exodus 34:6-7

2. The capacity to be wronged and not retaliate 
3. A willingness to wait for change 

“We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” –1 Thessalonians 5:14

4. Calms quarrels and promotes unity	

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” –Ephesians 4:1-3

5. Watch for the lure of giving up on someone  

We all want to be patient, but we don’t want what patience calls for in relationships.

Kindness: Undeserved generosity 
1. Actively seeking the good for someone
2. Choosing to hope and assume the best 
3. Leave the secret sins of others to God 

Genesis 29-30

Longsuffering love and undeserved kindness that honors God is so hard that we can’t practice it without God’s help.