"And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." -1 Corinthians 13:13, 4-8a
Love is stuck in traffic. Nearing Love's destination, the light turns yellow. As the traffic around Love speeds up, Love slows down. Love abides.
On the way in, Love is behind a person who is walking very slowly. Love looks at the time and only has a few minutes to spare. Love quickly moves ahead. Love opens the door and waits. The person slowly inches closer to the door. Love is patient.
An unfamiliar face walks by Love, looking confused and nervous. The stranger stops and looks around. Other people give the stranger weird looks. Some even laugh at the stranger. Love walks up to the stranger and says hello. Love is kind.
An acquaintance shares that they received an award for their work on a recent project. Love smiles and gives congratulations. Love is not envious. Later, Love receives an award as well. Love is happy, but tells no one about it. Love is not boastful. Love is a hard worker. Love tries to give 100% at everything. Love accepts failure and success as they come. Love doesn't brag. Love is not arrogant.
While waiting in a long line, someone joins by stepping in front of Love. Love politely asks them to join at the end of the line and the person scorns Love. Love respectfully tries again, but is met again with insult. Love lets it go. Love is not rude. Love does not insist on its own way. More people wrongly enter the line, forcing Love to wait longer and longer. Love forgives. Love is not irritable or resentful.
At lunch, Love makes a purchase. Walking away, Love realizes too much change was given back, leaving Love with more money than before the purchase. Love walks back and returns the money given by mistake. Love turns a few heads, some saying that they would have rejoiced in the mistake and easily taken the profit from the purchase. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth.
Life is difficult. Bad things happen. Our beliefs are tested and shaken. Things look hopeless at times. We make mistakes. We're challenged. We grieve and mourn. We get hurt. We get angry. We're persecuted, hated, made fun of, embarrassed, betrayed, left out, ignored and shunned.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
All things are temporary. Love never ends.
