Love is Patient

Over the last several months, my church has been challenging us to memorize scripture. We've memorized the names of the books of the Bible. We've memorized the Beatitudes. This month, we're memorizing the Lord's Prayer.

Last month, it was 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. You know, love is patient, love is kind . . . Even many non-believers know these verses. I've known them for a long time, but having to really memorize them word-for-word made me think about them more deeply.

I don't think it's an accident that the first definition of love is "patient." I think it's a characteristic of love that's hard for many of us, especially with those with whom we're closest.

Don't we tend to take the ones we love the most for granted? Somehow, it seems since they'll always be there, we don't have to have the patience with them that we do with others. I know I'm guilty of that.

It seems like Russ can push my buttons faster than anyone else in the world, and I can sometimes be short-tempered with him. Those little annoyances that I might just brush off with someone else can sometimes push me over the edge.

I don't want to be that way . . . but sometimes I am.

Do you find yourself doing the same thing? Being impatient with your greatest earthly loves?

Remember that the first on the list is "love is patient" . . . and I'll try to remember too!