1 Corinthians 13 - What does love look like? Well it is not arrogant and that is a big deal. Here's why.

Let’s talk about love today guys. Several weeks ago we started a series on 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 that I named Overflow. In Overflow, we want to take a deeper look at what 1 Corinthians 13 says of love. In part one we discussed why it is important for you to know how much and in what ways God loves you. Understanding how much we are loved is the key to learning how to love others well. Next, we looked at how love is patient and kind and then we took a look at how love is not boastful or envious. You can check out all of the posts in this study on Overflow’s page here.

Today we are going to look at something that love is not.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:3-7

Love is not arrogant.

A common thing I hear single women say is that they want a man that is confident but not arrogant. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance but once that line is crossed you are faced with a super unattractive person. Arrogance is the worst and we naturally are turned away by it because of the nature of arrogance.

Arrogance is the person with their nose in the air. Think Pretty Woman when she goes shopping at that fancy boutique and the haughty clerks take one look at her and decide that she isn’t good enough for their shop or their time. Arrogance inflates a person's view of themselves. That’s why the Bible says that love is not arrogant or puffed up.

Love does not leave you feeling dirty or less than. Love does the very opposite. Love seeks to make you feel important and valued. Love seeks to meet the needs of others without pride or judgment. Love leaves you feeling calm rather than judged and condemned.

Luke 18 tells the story of two men who went to pray at the temple. A super religious man and a man who was a tax collector and would have been looked down on and been unpopular due to his line of work. The religious man looks up and prays loudly thanking God that he is better than other men and that he is especially better than the unpopular man beside him praying. He boasts of how much he gives and fasts and he makes sure all around him hear him. The tax collector, on the other hand, bows his head and humbly acknowledges his need for God’s mercy and kindness. Of the two men's prayers, God says this,

“I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:14 NLT

God calls us to be humble and not arrogant because He is humble and not arrogant with us. Jesus came in the most humblest of forms. God himself stepped out of heaven and into the womb of a young unknown and unmarried girl. He was born into our broken and fallen world and He did life here as a mere human. He walked our dusty earth, displaying humility with each and every step and He experienced adolescence and hunger. He was God but He came and He put us first. He healed all who came to Him and He washed the feet of His imperfect disciple's feet. He died a painful and treacherous death to make us whole and new.

That’s how much you are loved. You are not better than anyone else. Your sin is not less atrocious than anyone else’s. You are not perfect but you are loved perfectly just the same. That is how you live your life humbly and without arrogance. You remember that you were once lost, blind, naked, ashamed and dirty and God stepped in without a moment of hesitation and He picked you up and made you new. He loved us at our darkest so how dare us judge and think ourselves better than others?

You are loved even on your worst day. God never regrets His decision to choose you. Life and the Christian walk is a process of ups and downs, victories and mistakes. It’s a process of learning, growing and changing and God loves you constantly and steadfastly through it all.

You rest in that truth and suddenly living a life of service and humility doesn’t seem so hard and far fetched. I love the call in Colossians,

So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; Colossians 3:12 AMP

You are God’s chosen! You are set apart and equipped to do the things He has called you to do! You are capable of loving others, and making a difference in your world because He equipped you to do so! On top of all of that you, you are loved! He loves you! He is not disappointed in you nor does He just wish you’d get your crap together. He is pleased with and fond of you! He accepts you as you are! That’s what makes the second half of that verse possible!

Because you are so secure in Christ and loved by God, be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient with others. Because God has shown you each of these traits on a regular and constant basis, follow His example and extend the same to others.

So I encourage you all to dig into the Word and see how crazy loved you are. Then go out and live humbly. Practice humility and compassion even when you encounter arrogant people. They don’t know how lost and broken they are and that is worthy of your compassion and love.

I hope you guys are enjoying this series on 1 Corinthians 13. I would love to hear how it’s helping or encouraging you! Mike and I love reading comments and emails from you guys! So let’s discuss below in the comments. Also please consider sharing this out with your friends and followers! It really helps us keep spreading the Good News.

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