Don’t underestimate the power of love’s kindness - we’ve got to be patient! God’s way of loving is a superpower. 1 John 4:7-13; Psalm 103; 1Corinthians 13:1-4; Romans 2:1-4.
First: Let’s look at God: God IS Love.
1 John 4:7-13. God IS love (agape) and He loves (agapao)
Exodus 34:6-7 “…"The LORD, the LORD God, IS compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness, maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.
2Chronicles 30:9 “…the LORD your God IS gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.”
Psalm 86:5,15 “5You, Lord, ARE forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you… 15you, Lord, ARE a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Psalm 103:8 “The LORD IS compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”
Next, let’s look at what God does: God loves, and God expresses His love by His patience and kindness. Why? Because, first it is who He is, then what He does.
Then, He knows who and what we are and what we need. Therefore, God, who is love, loves as love loves: and His love is patient and kind. Psalm 103
Ezra 9:13 After all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt (though You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have given us such a remnant as this)
Lamentations 3:22 Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.
Psalm 130:3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
Nehemiah 9:30-31,33 30For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. 31But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God… 33In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly.
Romans 2:1-4
1Corinthians 13:1-4
Now, what about me? Being loved this way by God, do I love Him, and others, the same way? Am I patient? We, if I am to love others, the way Jesus loves, I better be… but, why?
Being patient, allows me to be careful, gentle, deliberate, and considerate. Being patient, biting my tongue, not just to stop myself from saying something I shouldn’t, or the way that I shouldn’t. But, to slow down and be deliberate in my response, considerate of the one in front of me.
This is so that I might be of good service. That my words and actions - my love and hood works - would be useful to this person, here now, in this moment, and for eternity. I Am able to be kind, because I have been patient and made myself useful by being attentive to the directing hand of God - by not going my way (reactive), but seeking His way (responsive).
We must see that we are able to love because God loves us first - 1John 4 - and that Love IS patient - it shows restraint. And then Love which IS kind, is able to be kind – caring and careful, tenderhearted - gentle and useful - now and for eternity’s sake.
How do we love this way?
First:
1. We spend time with Jesus in word, prayer - we abide in and with Christ - learning from Him. (reflect here – am I taking this time? Why or why not? What can I do differently or better?)
Then:
2. We pay close attention to the speed and intensity of our response. (reflect here – am I alert to and aware of how I treat others, especially if they are “in my way”? why or why not?
3. We learn to recognize who we tend to indulge, “me” flesh (reactionary) and its manner and way, bearing the fruit of our flesh OR God’s Spirit and His manner and way - that we would bear the fruit of the Spirit (responsive)
Take some time to read and pray through Galatians 5:13-26 and then Philippians 2:1-11. But, don’t just read it, let it examine your heart and mind – feeling and thinking; affections and attitudes; and your behavior - reactions and responses. How often are we “indulging our flesh”, just reacting to our gut’s feelings, thinking, and attitude, and treating people in a way that may not very for good them or useful to them, but instead, reflect more our own feelings?
How consistently does my love resemble the Holy Spirit’s life in me? Jesus’ love and character?
Reflecting further: Philippians 2:1-11 This passage is shows us what God’s grace does in our lives when we take the time to remember, reflect, ruminate (meditate on), and rejoice in all His is, did, and who we are, who I am, in Him and with one another. This passage also describes for us the emerging and growing character of God’s children – the love and service that grows out of our relationship with Him in Jesus – as we are made more and more like Jesus (Ro 8:28-30; Eph 2:1-10).
And learn to love better - as God has loved and loves me - and - I would want to be loved!
So, again, Love IS patient - able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious - it is slow to anger
· It, I, suffer long, I am forbearing, persevering
· Love, therefore, IS long-tempered - refusing to retaliate with anger (because of human reasoning - as opposed to God’s will (Romans 12:3))
James 1:20 “...slow to anger because man’s anger does NOT produce the righteousness, the righteous life, that God desires and approves - the good things God wants to be done.” as we see “God is slow to anger
· Slow: taking time to deliberate, to be deliberate; unhurried; taking consideration
· Therefore, it extends, it stretches out, a long way
Matt 5:39 - turning the other cheek
Matt 5:41 - forces to walk one mile, walk two
Matt 18:21-22 - forgiving 70 times 7 times
Matt 7:12 - doing unto others what you would want done to you, and how
Luke 15:11-24 - Love waits long for the “son” to repent and come back, return
· …this love expresses anger as the Lord directs - meaning one must put their initial reaction off and be attentive to God, and quick to listen
James 1:19 - which does not necessarily mean to, listen quickly, but in fact to be PATIENT and remain until God’s righteousness AND the fruits of the Spirit have time to work past our condition and into our minds to still and stay our hearts (this is the exercise of self-control (2Pee 1:5) - also a fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22)
· So… to love patiently, is to delay, long - one’s own passionate or enflamed reaction - to make room for God’s directed proper response
· In so doing, by delaying long our reaction, taking time to listen to the Spirit’s prompting and directing, His reminder of God’s way of loving (us), we are able to be "to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others; to be mild and slow in avenging; to be long-suffering, slow to anger, slow to punish" (and how do we tend to punish??) and able to do what is really needed - not what we thought or felt was needed - according to the need of the beloved (not my need to…)
