1 Corinthians 13:5b it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
“Love is not a mere feeling, it is a decision about how we will behave and treat people.”— Joyce Meyer.
Love doesn’t keep score of the sins of others. It simply means that when we have a disagreement with our spouse, a family member or a friend, we will not quote and repeat their previous mistakes and mishaps. It means we will not open the archives and revisit the incidents that hurt us a year ago, 5 years ago or even 10 years ago!
Let’s be real. It is impossible to completely forget a painful humiliation, a bitter betrayal or a heartbreaking loss. “Forgive and forget” is only a mystical myth. We might not be able to forget but love chooses not to bring up the past, to point fingers or pout about an episode that has already been forgiven. This is what our loving Saviour does to our ugly scum of deliberate sins. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12). God Almighty does not suffer from memory loss. He can never forget our sins but once we are washed by His precious blood and forgiven, He drowns our sins in the sea of forgiveness and chooses not to remember. After resurrection, when Jesus caught up with His disciples and had ‘barbeque at the beach’, He did not reprimand Peter for betraying Him. He did not even give him a warning before He handed over the keys to the kingdom.
Choosing not to keep scores of the sins of others is a decision.
Love does not:
1. Trigger: Love does not trigger the painful past. Alleging, blaming and connecting current problems to past mistakes will ruin love. A subtle comment to remind others of their silly slips will spoil and soil relationships. Love covers over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8b). Love does not provoke or poke but covers the mess of the past. Love does not trigger.
- Touchy: Love does not overreact and is not oversensitive. People who are touchy hold hurtful thoughts and grudge against others. Mention of a name, incident, smell, taste or text can make them touchy. They have not forgiven those who sinned against them as God has forgiven them. The love of God, will make us less sensitive to sentiments but more sensitive to compassion. Love is not touchy.
- Tout: Love does not flaunt, boast or tout. True love is never pushy or controlling. Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others (1 Corinthians 13:4)(MSG). Love is absent in a friendship or any relationship that is manned by fear. Love is not forceful or fearful but is gorged with gentleness. “Don’t take the people that love you for granted…being loved is a beautiful gift” – Joyce Meyer. Love does not tout.
Love archives the misbehaviors of others, never to be reopened or revisited.
1 Corinthians 13:6 Doesn’t revel when others grovel (MSG).
Prayer: Dear Jesus, You have forgiven me and have chosen not to remember my past. Help me to extend the same mercy to others in love. May I overflow with your love. Amen.
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