This past Sunday the preacher at the church Jan and I visited talked about “True Love.” Noting the upcoming holiday, in his introduction to the sermon he reflected on a wedding he presided over many, many years ago on a Valentine’s Day. He couldn’t remember the names of the couple, but he said he wondered how they were doing in carrying out the commitments they made to one another that day.
The preacher and most of those in attendance at this small non-instrumental Church of Christ were elderly making Jan and I feel younger than we are. Everything about the church and service was old school, but we thoroughly enjoyed it. The preacher spoke to the couples present who had been married for many years emphasizing the challenges we had all faced and overcome in our life together.
For the most part I was affirmed and encouraged by what this non-contemporary preacher said. But one passing reference in one part of his sermon got my attention. He read Paul’s description of love from I Corinthians 14:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. The reminder that “love is not easily angered” (“not irritable” in the NLT) was like a punch in the stomach or a slap in the face. Too often I am easily irritated or angered. As a matter of fact, while we were walking the dogs Saturday night, I got irritated not once–but twice with Jan. I was convicted.
Jan and I went to lunch on Valentine’s Day. And as I expected, she gave me a card. I thought about getting her a card but decided not to; I wanted to do something better. I didn’t need to remind her about Saturday night, but I did let her know I was convicted by the sermon on Sunday. And I told her for Valentine’s Day I was committing to trying a lot harder to show her my love by not being so easily irritated.
If you’re married may I ask how you are doing in carrying out the commitments you made on your wedding day? And in the afterglow of Valentine’s Day, which of the qualities of true love in I Corinthians 13 do you most need to work on?
Feel free to leave a reply below and share this post on Facebook.
photo credit: Captured Heart <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/98192834@N07/31428647825″>Shot Through The Heart</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/”>(license)</a>
Pastor Bob Mink 
What a great reminder! Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was the one convicted not only by what you wrote but by Art and Kristin (my trainer) and he as well as she still don;t know why……we generally as a rule of thumb never…..ever…..do much on Valentine’s day I usually buy him a card and we may go to breakfast or lunch…so this year Art asked me what I wanted and I said just buy me a card…well yesterday morning came and I handed him the card I purchased for him and he replied “You know I love you” and seemed dismayed that I gave him the card. Meanwhile in my head and heart I was just a tad furious, thinking that he couldn’t even get me a card which is all I asked of him!!! So off I went to my workout session complained to my trainer Kristin about what had transpired and was wondering when I was going to let him know how upset I was mind you my trainer is an amazing Christian single mom who’s ex left her with a new born and a 3 yr old how insensitive I was to her…. knowing she’s not getting anything from her ex husband WOW what a knucklehead move on my part…so when I arrived back home an hour later there waiting for me was a beautiful card, Art took me to breakfast and then upon our return home here comes my grandson with balloons and flowers and cards he made us….I know quite a bit to take in but I am really convicted that I allowed myself to let the “irritation” get the better of me and am grateful that your message helped me to realize how blessed and loved I truly am not only by my husband/family but most of all by God, thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Nora.
LikeLike
Patience
LikeLiked by 1 person
At least you are not irritable, or are you?
LikeLike
Bob
thanks-with my recent retirement, Carol and I are living full time with each other . I am realizing how blessed I am that she is my wife and best friend
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bob,
I was convicted by what you shared and also confess that I too, am easily irritated and am most likely to show that irritation with Orv. Sad to say the person to whom I am most deeply committed is the one that I dump on most frequently. I am challenged to do better in this area as well.
Thanks for sharing and for your transparency.
LikeLiked by 1 person