1 Cor 13 Devotion from Kelly Kang, Gracepoint

This week's devotion is from 1 Corinthians 13. Here's devotional sharing from Kelly Kang, pastor's wife at Gracepoint Fellowship in Berkeley, whom many of you know. Thought it'd really help us all.

How is God speaking to me today?

• Rather than wanting to increase in love, people want to go for more showy options:
• Speaking in the tongues of men and angels
• Gift of prophecy and fathom all mysteries and all knowledge
• Have faith that can move mountains (rather than faith to continue to love someone difficult)
• Giving all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames (but without love)

But this passage is very clear that only thing that matters is LOVE. How much am I being patient with people? How much am I refusing to give up on loving someone? How much am I holding back my anger? How much am I extending kindness to someone who is unable to return my acts of kidness? How much am I trusting and hoping? How much am I protecting as love covers multitude of sins?

How can I increase in love?

• “patient” -> by not reacting to some angering and frustrating situation, by pausing
• “kind” -> by not being shy, awkward or lazy about expressing some kind words and deeds.
• “does not envy” -> by sharing good things about others, by celebrating other’s strengths, accomplishments
• “does not boast” -> by confessing some ugly or vulnerable things about myself
• “is not proud” -> by regularly acknowledging that all I have comes from the LORD, by self-examination and confession
• “not rude”-> by being proactive about being kind
• “not self-seeking” -> considering others more important than myself, considering other people’s time, energy, feelings, money more important than mine
• “not easily angered” -> by becoming more merciful as I reflect on that fact I am a sinner and so are everyone else, by being slow to speak
• “it keeps no record of wrongs” -> by remembering the good things
• “does not delight in evil BUT rejoice with the truth” -> don’t pass around negative information about others but pass around good things that are true;
• “always protects” -> always opt for the way to protecting people even if it means paying some kind of cost on my part
• “always trusts” - > have faith in God rather than in people. Look to God for comfort and security
• “always hopes” -> acknowledge God’s sovereignty and my own weakness and limitation, and always look to how God may work out current hopeless situation
• “always perseveres” -> Think about the saints throughout the world who are persevering for the LORD