Love With All Your Heart....series chapter 9

Love With All Your Heart

by: Linda Driver

 

9

Love is Positive;

Love takes no account of the evil done to it. Love pays no attention a suffered wrong, does not defend its reputation.

Bob was suspicious of everyone. He felt that he had continually to defend himself. It was very important to Bob to be highly esteemed. He desperately wanted everyone to like him. But, oh, what a continual struggle he had in trying to defend his reputation! It seemed as if people wee constantly trying t put him in a bad light. Every time he turned around people were saying bad thins about him, offending him, hurting him. Often he would confront the one who had offended him and try to get them to retract what they said. If that didn't work, he would hold a grudge against that person or plan some way to take revenge. In his efforts to make himself look good, sometimes it meant that he had to put other in a bad light. But if that is what it took, Bob was willing. He just couldn't let his name be trampled in the dust because if he didn't defend himself, who would? Often he'd exaggerate reports about others' failures so as to make his own failures less glaring. The real problem was that Bob had a fragile ego, and he thought the only way he could be of value is if everyone admired and praised him. He worked so hard to get approval.

 

Then one day Bob came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

"Love...things no evil" 1 Corinthians 13:5

 

 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8

 

 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.   

1 Thessalonians 5:15

 

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.   

1 Peter 3:8,9

 

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

1 Peter 2:1

 

to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

Titus 3:2

 

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

 

Love is not suspicious or evil surmising, but places the most favorable construction on the motives and acts of others. Love takes no account of the evil done to it; love harbors no malice.

 

Love pays no attention to a suffered wrong; love is not resentful, bitter, or vengeful.

 

Love does not get upset, complain or fret, but is content, joyful, peaceful, and calm even under abuse and mistreatment.

 

Love is not paranoid; love does not have a "persecution complex," feeling that others are always out to "do him in," but instead, love seeks to encourage and dwell on the positive. 

 

Love counters offensive, cruel acts by doing good, praying for its enemies, and forgiving them even before they ask.