1 Corinthians 13: Love Is Kind

When asked what the greatest commandment of the law was, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37).”

Very often this scripture is held as the Christian standard; and we are silly enough to think that although we can't fulfill the law, we are most certainly able to love God with everything we have. Notice Jesus said this was the greatest commandment of the 'law'. A law that Jesus spent his whole ministry trying to convince people of their inability to fulfill. Jesus equates lust with adultery, and anger with murder, then he goes so far as to say that all of the commandments can be fulfilled if you can somehow manage to love God, others, and yourself. This is the law on steroids! It is one thing to try to manage your outward behavior, but another thing entirely to change the way we think, feel, and function on the inside. Here again, Jesus isn't trying to get us to pump up our love meter, He is pointing out our absolute inability to change ourselves.

Love isn't easier than behavior management, in fact it is an impossible thing to formulate or produce. That is why after the fruits of the spirit are listed in Galatians 5, Paul writes, 'Against such things there is no law.' No law means that we are completely unable to produce these inner attributes on our own accord. We only have the capacity to love as a result of being filled by His love. As a byproduct of our union with Him, we are transformed from the inside out, not from the outside in.  This is the fundamental problem with our un-renewed minds, and it is the biggest obstacle to intimacy with God.

We don't mind talking about love as long as it has to do with our external behavior, but if you start pushing the fact that love is only proven by how we function on the inside, in private, people will start getting uncomfortable. Love does manifest outwardly, but how do you function internally when someone offends you? What is your first reaction in conflict or when someone even sins against you? Are you understanding or judgmental? Are you angry or are you filled with peace, are you jealous or do you like it when other people are blessed? Do you place blame or are you full of grace? Love is a deep thing, it can't be proven on the surface.  How do you think about people when you are all alone, how do you think about yourself? Are you filled with hope, peace, understanding? What about kindness?

Love Is Kind

Jesus displayed a harsh temperament to the Pharisees, the religious elite who thought that they could present themselves as Godly on the outside while being wicked within. Jesus called them 'white washed tombs'. Most of us probably fit into this category. Jesus however only showed kindness to the broken, the insecure, and the sinful. In Christendom today, kindness is not the first word that comes to mind. In fact the world has a pretty poor opinion of Christianity, and for good reason, we aren't very kind. Think of how Christians respond to homosexuality, abortion, media, or someone who they theologically disagree with. The response is often anger, bitterness, loathing, pity, elitism, and bigotry. Not much love there.

Love is kind; where love is, kindness is practically displayed. Kindness is simply behavior that is benevolent, it is acts of service done for the benefit of someone else. Doing the dishes, raking the leaves, going out of your way to be a blessing to those around you, that is what kindness is. Are you kind? Do you see others and have a desire to bless them in either small or big ways. Are you a consumer or a producer?

When we see Jesus in truth and are filled with His peace, goodness, and faith, kindness is a natural result. He took on what we deserved so that we can take on what He deserved. When we have eyes to see what we have received from God, we are filled with thanksgiving that manifests in care for other people. We are satisfied because God is satisfied. We are fulfilled because Jesus fulfilled our requirement. Since we are not in need we can give to other people.

It is when you are attached to the vine, drinking from the water of life, that His fruit is produced in you. We don't need to try to produce Godliness, just look to Jesus, be overcome by His goodness and His grace. Interact with Holy Spirit throughout your day, and you will be filled with springs of living water, so much so that you will be able to infuse those around you with the light of life!

Remember, we are transformed from the inside out, not from the outside in.  Our minds are not changed to see God in truth by Him endlessly berating us for messing up or not getting it right. He is not offended or unable to relate with people in the messiness of life, and neither should we be.  It is God's kindness that renews are minds, showing us who He is and who we are in Him (Romans 2:4). 

“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).”