Known as The Love Chapter, portions of 1 Corinthians 13 spells out 14 characteristics of what true love is made of. Starting today, through Valentine's Day, I'm going to take one characteristic of love at a time each day!
The full passage goes like this:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
The first characteristic of love, how you know it's really love, is that LOVE IS PATIENT!
What does patient mean?
I've heard a lot growing up how you should never pray for patience because God will provide many opportunities for you to use your patience. I don't know about that. That always worried me and made me sort of mistrust our Lord. But, i do know that patience is part of what makes up love. Keep in mind that by defining what LOVE is, the Bible is simultaneously giving us a pictures of who God is, since God is LOVE. So, God is patient.
One thing I've word a lot about latey is tolerance. While patient is defined as accepting or tolerating, patience goes beyond tolerance.
Patience doesn't rush. It's waiting whle yourr 5 year old slooooooooowly sounds out words as he or she is trying to learn to read or sloooooooowly tries to tie those shoelaces while you are racing against time to get somewhere.
Patience is helping an elderly parent or grand parent as they frustratingly become unable to do things they've done all of their lives.
Patience is to not shame or hurry someone else along.
Patience is to not hurry along something you want to happen in your life.
Patience is not dilly-dallying or simply taking it slow, but it is allowing others the freedom to move and learn at their own pace.
Watch a big tough football player style of man gently care for a newborn or a tiny toddler, and you'll get an idea of the patient part of love.
Some synynonyms of patientce include:
calm
forgiving
gentle
quiet
tolerant
long-suffering
understanding
accommodating
compossed
easy-going
enduring
evevn-tempered
forbearing
imperturbable
indulgent
lenient
meek
mild
mild-tempered
perservering
persistent
philosophical
resigned
serene
stoic
submissive
tranquil
uncomplaining
unruffled
untiring
Some antonyms of patience include:
agitated
loud
rough
troubled
violent
wild
frustrated
impatient
intolerant
unwilling
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