Godly Love

I can't really think of anything to blog about, as per usual, so I'll just share some scripture and wisdom with y'all that a lady at church shared with me.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-8&13 (KJV) - verses in ESV below for easier understanding

She was talking about how God had showed her that this (the above verses) was love after having been hurt by people who had said they loved her.  Her testimony really touched me, she said that although it seems like certain emotions we are feeling are love, it isn't real love unless these verses are practiced.  If you don't treat the people you say you love with kindness and and patience; if you are rude, boastful, insist on having your own way and act badly; if you envy what is theirs or envy them; if you are happy when something goes wrong for them, then you don't love them truly and perfectly.  And this is applicable both ways, if a person says they love you, but they treat you badly, or seem to show signs of acting contrary to how the Bible says a person who loves should act, then they may very well not know how to really love.  She told me that the gushy romantic feelings are not really necessary - nice, but you don't have to have them.  If you recognize this godly love in someone else you don't have to have any of the "oh my gosh, he/she is so amazing" emotions to commit.  I must say that she gave me quite a bit to think about, and I really appreciate her sharing her story with me.  Hopefully this bit of wisdom helps you as much as it helped me.

-Riah

*4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful: 6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but  rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  8Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.  13So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8&13 (ESV)