Love Has Restraint

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both. (Proverbs 27:1-3)

Mature Christians make it a point to not speak of themselves in an arrogant, braggadocios manner. Why should you tell everyone about what you are working on or what your goals are? I’ve met those who constantly brag about what they have and where they went and what they are planning to do in the future. They sound like a broken record continually playing the track “me - me - me” in every conversation. If you find yourself in a discussion with someone who only talks about themselves, know that you are talking to a baby and not a grown Christian.

Proverbs explains that praise is not wrong, but don’t make it come from your own lips. Let someone else see the passion you have, the hard work you have done, the right attitude that you displayed while doing it and praise you. Walking in love means allowing your character and your work to speak for itself and not have to act in a way that makes everyone have to look and pay attention to you.

One Sunday, years ago, in the middle of a message, someone stood up and interrupted, saying, “Bishop, the Lord told me to tell you…”  and I pointed to him and said, “Shut up and sit down”. Why? Because the Holy Spirit doesn’t interrupt Himself. The Holy Spirit told me what to teach, and I taught that. That individual had no restraint and just wanted to be seen. That’s what Proverbs 27:3 says: “a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.” It means a fool who seeks attention through dramatic behavior or acting impulsively will bring destruction.

Practical Application

Make sure that you are surrounding yourself with wise counsel—individuals who can offer constructive feedback and guidance through prayer and experience. We must have trusted believers in our lives who can give us praise and equally give us correction with love.

2 Corinthians 10:18; Proverbs 25:27

Overcoming Envy Through Faith

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. (Romans 13:13)

In the hustle and bustle of the world, it’s easy to allow envy to creep into our hearts, poisoning our joy as it destroys our God-given relationships. Envy rarely shows up, parading itself as it really is in our lives; it is often masked by curiosity about what others are doing and whispers into our hearts discontentment and bitterness toward others.

Mature believers are called to attack envy head-on. How do we attack envy when it is so silent and tricky? The opposite of envy is having an attitude of honesty and integrity.

Romans 13:13 tells us that those who walk in honesty walk as in the day. Daylight is bright and hides nothing. Daylight destroys shadows of darkness. It rejects the seed of bitterness trying to be implanted in our hearts. Instead, daylight promotes and celebrates those who are righteous and are blessed.

Mature believers know how to celebrate when favor finds their friend. We rejoice with those who are rejoicing.

When we celebrate others’ wins, we destroy envy through faith. Our celebration for others says we understand that the same God who made it work for them is working something out for me as well.

When we acknowledge God is on our side, jealousy loses its grip on our hearts. We are confident that God is orchestrating something behind the scenes to bless us.

Your time of blessing will come. In the meantime, rejoice with someone else!

Practical Application

Who can you celebrate today? Look around for simple or grand ways that God has blessed others and let them know you are excited for them, thankful to be in their lives, and cheer them on. Your celebration is coming soon.

Luke 21:34; Ephesians 4:17

Love is Patient

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. (1 Corinthians 13:4)

Long-suffering isn’t something most people want to work on. It’s more than simple patience. It’s allowing love to guide your patience beyond what is comfortable. To be long-suffering is to allow God to develop your patience during adversity, especially when dealing with difficult individuals. Displaying this type of patient love is a sign of a spiritually mature individual.

Kindness is similar because kindness means being useful to other people. Kindness is shown by our willingness to serve and bless others, regardless of their issues.

I Corinthians 13:4 explains that love is long-suffering and displays kindness. It also refuses to allow envy to have a part in a person’s heart. Envy is corrosive and will erode anything that love has built. Envy destroys relationships, destroys institutions, and destroys the ability for us to be used by God. Love does not envy but rejoices in the successes of others and celebrates their achievements.

Living a life where our love walk is evident can only be done through purposefully striving to act on the Word when it comes to connecting with others. That means forgiving and seeking reconciliation wherever possible. God’s love does not hold on to bitterness or resentment or keep any record of wrongs.

Practical Application

Scripture explains that the love that comes from God never fails. If you want to succeed, make it a priority to act in love. Quickly forgive others, respond the way the Holy Spirit wants you to respond and be known as someone who walks in love.

Proverbs 10:12; 2 Corinthians 6:6