Fruit of the Spirit - Week 2, Day 3

Righting the Wrongs (Love for Others)

A minister kept a special notebook on his desk labeled, "Complaints of Members against Other Members." When someone called or came to tell him about the faults of another, the minister would say, "Here's my complaint book. I'll write down what you say, and you can sign it. Then, when I have to take the matter up officially, I'll know what testimony to expect from you."

The sight of the open notebook and the waiting pen always had the same effect. "Oh, no! I couldn't sign anything like that!" was the usual response, and no entry would be made in the book. The minister said that he kept the complaint book for over forty years and had opened it a thousand times but had never had anyone write a single word in it.

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.

The condition of our hearts and the health of our relationships go hand-in-hand. God takes both very seriously. In these verses, Paul outlines God's definition of the kind of love we should have for others.

In verse 5, he mentions a "record of wrongs." Do you have a "complaint book" in your heart with names and issues written in it? You may have one person for whom you keep a "record of wrongs." If you do, would you give God your "book" today? He'll know what to do with it.

Time Out:

1. I'm going to list the attributes of love, and I want you to write down the ones that you have and the ones you need to work on. Ready, set, go!

• Patient, Kind, it is not envious (wants what someone else has).
• Not Boastful (love does not act like you are better than someone else).
• Not proud, not rude, not self-seeking (always looking for what I can get from someone else rather than what I can give to someone else).
• Love is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs.
• Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (Love does not try to lead someone away from God by trying to get them to do things that God would disapprove of.)
• Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres (love never gives up).

2. It is always easier to hold a grudge than to love and forgive someone else. Why is that?

3. Why does God want us to be more loving? Look up 1 John 4:7 for the answer.

4. Pick one area of love that you need to work on. Write that word here.

5. Spend a minute or two asking God to help you to be a more loving person.