The Boyfriend (and Girlfriend) Test – Thursday

Week 1 | Friends In Low Places

Listen instead of reading

Take a Moment

Ask God what He wants to show you before reading today

Read The Daily

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:7)

I heard some great wisdom from a lady once that said you should take 1 Corinthians as a general test for your boyfriend or girlfriend to see if they are worth continuing the pursuit.  Her advice was to read one of the most famous sections in the Bible on love but replace the word love each time with the name of your boyfriend or girlfriend.  Why?  Because we can easily confuse love with infatuation.  The only problem is that infatuation in a relationship usually lasts only about 6-8 months.  See maybe why I try to tell couples that tell me they want to get married really quick because they “are so in love”, should maybe give it a few more months?  

Jesus has shown us in John 15 that friendship is a product of love. Sometimes the notion of love can feel like an abstract or wishy-washy concept. Paul’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 can be really helpful in thinking through what it means also to be a friend who loves. This passage – which is not about husbands and wives – is helpful to understand how friends should love. A friend is patient and kind. A friend doesn’t get jealous or brag or keep a record of all the times they’ve been hurt. A friend stops others from doing something evil and points to the truth. A friend protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. At this point you may be feeling rather overwhelmed. Who can possibly live up to this? Who among us can be a friend who constantly loves like this?  And the simple answer is: on our own…no one. The good news is that Jesus promises to do it through us.  The goal is to Live and Love like Jesus, but that’s not all.  Jesus promises to Live in us and Love through us.  Remember the whole “connected to the vine” talk yesterday?  That’s how we “Get” to live and love as well. 

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it? 

God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?

Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

4 x 6 Plan | Read: Matthew 18:1-9 & Romans 15:14-21