Love
is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act
unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into
account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices
with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NASB)
Love is not arrogant.
Other versions say, “love is not proud.”
Love means not thinking too highly of oneself. Paul defines this so well
in Philippians 2:3-4: "Let nothing be done through selfish
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better
than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also
for the interests of others."
Lowliness of mind doesn’t mean we’re to be
doormats; rather, it means we’re to love as Christ loved, with a servant’s
heart: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in
the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made
Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming
in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled
Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the
cross" (Phil. 2:5-8). Loving without arrogance requires an attitude of humility.
Are you able to truly rejoice in the blessings others experience? Are you
willing to serve in the background if that’s what God calls you to do? Will you
serve as Christ did, with a humble servant’s heart?
Then you’ll love without being arrogant.
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