2月13日

標　　題： 愛總往好處想

經　　節： 愛是……凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。（哥林多前書十三章7節）

愛是沒有範疇的。愛不可能說：「你太過份了，我不能再愛你了。」「凡事」是包括每件事。如基督一樣的愛，會讓他人毫不懷疑你堅定不變的愛。你周遭的人是否知道：即使他們失敗或做愚蠢的事，也不會減低你對他們的愛？你周遭的人是否確信：即使他們傷害你，你仍舊愛他們，不會報復他們？愛總是往好處想。如果有人不小心冒犯你，你選擇相信他不是故意冒犯你。如果有人想要傷害你，你「凡事包容」，無條件地原諒對方。如果處於困境，你看到一絲希望的微光，於是你抓住它。如果有人不斷地觸怒你，你「凡事忍耐」。你對你所愛的，永遠不放棄希望。你不斷地將神給你的無條件的愛，施與他人。保羅說，如果他有全備的信叫他可以移山，能說天使的話語，擁有先知講道之能，也明白各樣的奧秘和各樣的知識，卻沒有愛，他就算不得甚麼。如果你說：「嗯，我只是沒辦法那樣愛人！」這是不被接受的說法。當神藉著你去愛人，這是祂惟一的一種愛！以一顆感恩的心來讀哥林多前書十三章，神已經向你表達了這完全無私之愛。讓我們禱告，求神藉著我們向他人表明祂那完全無私之愛。

Love Assumes the Best

Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)

Love has no limits. Love never says, “You’ve gone too far. I can’t love you now.” “All things” means everything is included. Christ like love leaves no doubt in the mind of another that you will continue to love steadfastly. Do those close to you know that they can fail and do foolish things, yet you will not falter in your love for them? Are others assured that, even when they hurt you, you still love them, holding nothing against them?

Love assumes the best about others. If someone inadvertently offends you, you choose to believe the offense was unintentional. If someone seeks to harm you, you “bear all things,” forgiving unconditionally. If a positive light can be shed on a difficult encounter, you grasp it. If someone continually provokes you, you “endure all things.” You never lose hope in the ones you love. You practice the same unconditional love toward others that Christ gives to you.

Paul said that he was nothing if he had the faith to move mountains, the tongue of an angel, and the gift of prophecy to understand all mysteries, yet did not have God’s love. It is unacceptable to say, “Well, I just can’t love people that way!” When God loves people through you, this is the only kind of love He has! Read 1 Corinthians 13 with gratitude that God has already expressed this complete and selfless love to you. Pray and ask Him to express it through you now, to others.