God believes in you! And I wonder if you could take some of the belief he has in you and share it with someone else?  Could you believe in someone?  One German poet said, “Treat a man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”

How do we show people that we believe in them? Show up! Nothing takes the place of your presence. Do you believe in your kids? Then show up…at their games…and at their plays. It may not be possible to make each one, but it’s worth the effort. Do you believe in your friends? Show up at their graduations and weddings. Spend time with them. You want to bring out the best in someone? Then show up. And let God’s word be the authoritative word in your world.

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Do you know anyone who is wounded and afraid? Do you know anyone who is guilty and embarrassed? Do you know anyone who needs a cloak of love? “Love covers a multitude of sins,” the scripture says in 1 Peter 4:8. Love doesn’t expose. It doesn’t gossip. If love says anything, love speaks words of defense. Words of kindness. Words of protection.

Do you know anyone who could use some protection? Of course you do. Then give some. Pay a gas bill for a struggling elderly couple. Promise your kids that, God being your helper, they’ll never know a hungry day or a homeless night. Tell your husband that you’d do it all over again and invite him on a honeymoon. Make sure your divorced friends are invited to your parties. Do you know anyone who needs a cloak of love? Then, give it.

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Paul writes, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 NASB). Do you want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? Do you rejoice or are you jealous? And when he or she stumbles or falls into misfortune? Are you really sorry? Or are you secretly pleased?

Love never celebrates misfortune. Never! Real love changes people. Didn’t God’s love change you? You know your love is real when you weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Do you want to know what love is? “This is what real love is– It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10).

God passes the test! And well he should —he drafted it! He rejoices with you; may you rejoice with others.

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Life has a way of unloading its rubbish on our doorstep! Your husband works too much. Your wife gripes too much. Your kids whine too much. The result? Trash! Load after load of bitterness, anxiety, deceit, and distrust. It all piles up. Now, mark it down. Today’s anger is tomorrow’s abuse. Today’s lust is tomorrow’s adultery. Today’s guilt is tomorrow’s fear. Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions. So, deal with the trash!

Could that be why Paul says, “Love. . .keeps no record of wrongs?” (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). Let trash pile up and people are going to smell it. Are we victims of the emotional bacteria of the season? Or do we have a choice? Paul says we have an option. “We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). We have a choice. You might want to check your garbage.

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The psalmist says, “The Lord heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2-3 NIV). Do you think among those diseases might be the affliction of anger? God can help you get rid of your anger. Do you want him to? This isn’t a trick question. You may be addicted to anger. You may be a rage junkie. Anger may be part of your identity. But if you want him to, God can change your identity.

Do you have a better option? Like moving to a rejection-free zone? If so, enjoy your life on the deserted island. When others reject you, let God accept you. Leave your anger at the tree of Calvary. He is not frowning. He is not mad. He sings over you. Take a long drink from his limitless love, and cool down!

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“How’s life?” someone asks. And we who have been resurrected from the dead say, Well, things could be better. Or… I couldn’t get a parking place. Or…My parents won’t let me move to Hawaii. Or… People won’t leave me alone so I can finish my sermon on selfishness.

Really? Are you so focused on what you don’t have that you are blind to what you do? If so, then come. Come thirsty. Come and drink deeply from God’s goodness.

You have a ticket to heaven no thief can take,

an eternal home no divorce can break.

Every sin of your life has been cast into the sea.

Every mistake you’ve made is nailed to the tree.

You are blood-bought and heaven-made.

A child of God—forever saved.

So be grateful, joyful—for isn’t it true?

What you don’t have is much less than what you do!

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Love builds up relationships; selfishness erodes relationships! The apostle Paul is urgent in is appeal. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit” (Philippians 2:3 NASB).

But aren’t we born selfish? And if so, can we do anything about it? Or better asked, can we get the little self out of our eyes? According to Scripture we can.  “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind” (Philippians 2:1-2 NASB).

What’s the cure for selfishness? Get your self out of your eye by getting your eye off your self. Quit staring at that little self! Focus on your great Savior!

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Forgive me for being the one to tell you, but you are infected. You’re a victim—a diseased carrier. You have a case of—brace yourself—selfishness!

Don’t believe me? Do your fingers ever wrap and close around possessions? Do fangs ever flare when you’re interrupted or irritated? Any inflammation from patting yourself on the back?

Listen to the words of James: “Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things” (James 3:16 CEV). Is it any wonder Paul writes, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves…” (Philippians 2:3-4 NASB).

Looking after your personal interests is proper life management. Doing so to the exclusion of the rest of the world is selfishness. Desire success? Fine. Just don’t hurt others in achieving it. Love isn’t selfish.

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Paul said, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ”  (Galatians 3:27 NIV). We wear Jesus! And those who don’t believe in Jesus note what we do. They make decisions about Christ by watching us. When we are kind, they assume Christ is kind. When we’re gracious, they assume Christ is gracious.

But if we are brash, what will people think of our King? Our Master? No wonder Paul says, “Be wise in the way you act with people who are not believers, making the most of every opportunity. When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should” (Colossians 4:5-6).

Common courtesy honors God and his children. “Do your best,” the Scriptures say, “to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). Just do your best. You can’t control their attitude, but you can manage yours.

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When defining what love is not, the apostle Paul put rudeness on the list. “Love does not behave rudely” (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV).

Rudeness snatches parking spaces. Rudeness mocks others. Rudeness interrupts. Christ, on the other hand, was courteous. He was patient, thoughtful, and careful to treat people with respect.

Notice that the first five letters of the word courteous spell court. In old England, to be courteous was to act in the way of the court. The family and servants of the king were expected to follow a higher standard. So are we. Are we not called to represent the King?

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When Paul writes, “consider others better than yourselves” he uses a verb that means “to calculate,” “to reckon” (Philippians 2:3 NIV). To consider others better than yourself, is not to say you have no place; it is to say that you know your place.

Scripture says: “Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you” (Romans 12:3 Phillips).

Make people a priority. Accept your part in his plan. Be quick to share applause. And most of all, regard others as more important than yourself. Think of it this way: If I think you are more important than I am, and you think I am more important than you are—then in the end we all feel important, but no one acts important! Hmmm. Do you think that’s what God had in mind?

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God points to the sparrow, the most inexpensive bird of his day and says, “Five sparrows are sold for only two pennies, and God does not forget any of them…You are worth much more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).

God remembers the small birds of the world. We remember the eagles. But God notices the sparrows. We make bronze statues of the hawk. But God notices the sparrows. We celebrate the majestic birds, but Christ is partial to the beat up and done in and urges us to follow suit. He said, “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:13). Want to love others as Christ has loved you? Take note of the last, the lost, the little, and the left out. Take note of the sparrows. After all, God takes note of you.

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Pecking orders are a part of life. The problem with pecking orders is not the order. The problem is with the pecking. Just ask the shortest kid in class. Or the minority family. Or the new person at work. God says that love is no place for pecking orders. It’s easy to see why!  How can I love others if my eyes are only on me? How can I point to God if I’m pointing at me?

Scripture says, love “does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV).  Jesus’ solution to man-made caste systems? A change in direction. The Apostle Paul said, “Regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3 NASB). That’s what Jesus did. Your eternal life was more important than his earthly life. Your place in heaven was more important to him than his place in heaven, so he gave it up so you could come in.

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What’s the cure for jealousy? Trust. The cause of jealousy? Distrust!

In a cemetery in England stands a grave marker with the inscription: She died for want of things. Alongside that marker is another: He died trying to give them to her. Let me ask you, have you seen such envy? Have you seen red-faced jealousy? Are you acquainted with the crimson forehead and the bulging veins of jealousy? Solomon says, “Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood, but no one can put up with jealousy!” (Proverbs 27:4).

The sons of Jacob didn’t trust God to meet their needs. The Pharisees didn’t trust God to solve their problems. What were the consequences of their envy? Loneliness! Who wants to hang out with a jealous fool? Stop focusing on what you want, and start trusting God to provide what you need. Replace your jealousy with gratitude.

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A warning should be offered about the fire in your heart. Left unchecked, it can burst into a hungry flame and consume all that is consumable. The name of the fire? Solomon tagged it, jealousy! “Jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire” (Song of Solomon 8:6 RSV).

Paul was equally aggressive in his declaration. “Love does not envy” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV). And speaking of envy, put my name on the list. I began smelling smoke when a friend came to me with this report from a church across town. He said, “The church is great! It’s bursting at the seams!” A more spiritual Max would have rejoiced. A more mature Max would have thanked God. But, might I confess, I was jealous. That’s pathetic! God’s cure for jealousy? Trust. The Scriptures say in Psalm 37:1-3, “Don’t be jealous. . .trust the Lord and do good.” Trust God with what you have and ask Him for what you need.

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We attend seminars on strategizing and team building. But I can’t say I’ve ever attended one lecture on kindness! Yet Jesus commanded, “I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices” (Matthew 9:13). Paul placed kindness toward the top of the pyramid when he wrote, “Love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV).

When was the last time you did something kind for someone in your family—without being asked? Kind hearts let the car cut into traffic and the young mom with three kids move up in the checkout line. And they are especially kind at church. They understand perhaps the neediest person they’ll meet all week is the one sitting on the row behind them. Paul wrote, “When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers” (Galatians 6:10). How kind are you?

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The kindness of Jesus. We are quick to think of his power, his passion, and his devotion. But those near him knew and know God comes cloaked in kindness! “Love is kind” wrote Paul (1 Corinthians 13:4). Nehemiah agreed: “You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness” (Nehemiah 9:17 NKJV). David concurred, “Your lovingkindness is better than life” (Psalm 63:3 NASB).

But Jesus’ invitation offers the sweetest proof of the kindness of heaven: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew. 11:28-30 NKJV).

And how often do we thank him for his kindness? Not often enough!

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God’s patience. You’ve read about it. Perhaps underlined Bible passages regarding it. But have you received it? Patience deeply received results in patience freely offered. But patience never received leads to an abundance of problems.

Remember where the king sent the unforgiving servant? “Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid every penny” (Matthew 18:34 NLT). Whew! we sigh. Glad that story is a parable. It’s a good thing God doesn’t imprison the impatient in real life. Don’t be so sure! Impatience still imprisons the soul. For that reason, God does more than demand patience from us; he offers it to us!

Patience is a fruit of his Spirit. It hangs from the tree of Galatians 5:22: “The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience.”

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Maybe no one has told you about God’s patience and willingness to put up with you! The Bible says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8 NIV).

Stare at the proof of God’s patience! Those thousand sunsets you never thanked him for? Those times you used his name only when you cussed? And oh my, those promises: “Get me out of this, and I’ll never tell another lie.” If broken promises were lumber, we could build a subdivision.

Doesn’t God have ample reason to walk out on us? But he doesn’t. Why? Because “God is being patient with you” (2 Peter 3:9). Patience isn’t naïve. It doesn’t ignore misbehavior. It’s slow to boil. This is how God treats us. Patience is the red carpet upon which God’s grace approaches us!

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1 Corinthians 13 is the Mount Everest of love writings. And no words get to the heart of loving people like verses 4-8:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Someone challenged me to replace the word love in this passage with my name. I did and became a liar. The passage set a standard I could not meet. No one can meet it…except Jesus. So rather than let this scripture remind us of a love we cannot produce, let it remind us of a love we cannot resist—God’s love!

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