Our text for today is 1 Corinthians 13:5
1 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV)
Love “does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.”
Everyone says we need to love one another, but that statement begs the question of “what is love?” To answer that vital question, God has given is 1 Corinthians 13. In verses 4 though 8 of that chapter, we have the great definition of love. It is important to note that the these verses do not define love, except that they define what love does. Those who say they love you but do not treat you with love, do not love. I don’t mean that we don’t sometimes act temporarily in a non-loving way, but rather that love has a long view of how we treat one another.
One of my favorite verses on defining what love does is verse 5.
I call your attention to the last three words of this great verse. It says simply, love, “thinks no evil.” What does it mean to “think no evil?”
I was reminded of this behavior of love recently when I called my sweet sister-in-law back because I had asked a personal question and did not want to be offensive. Her response warmed my heart. I’ll quote it. No, I “know you asked only because you care about my well being. Thank you for asking.”
Too many times when we hear something that might be either offensive or caring, we jump to the worse way we can take it. Love doesn’t do that!
One time my former youth minister told me that he had commented to our secretary that even when he did not agree with me, he knew that I only wanted what was best for him. That too warmed my heart.
The people who take everything you say or do in the worst way it can be understood, do not really love you. They may say they do, but according to the Holy Spirit, love “Thinks no evil.”
To love someone means to look for the best way to understand. When that six-month old baby cries in the night, no loving parent things the baby is being mean. We know they are hungry, or scared, or hurting. We look for the best. To love others means do the same thing for them.
Lonnie Davis