November 13, 2009—The Gold Standard
I’ve been on vacation for the past ten days and didn’t manage to journal while I was away. It was a good time away, but it’s good to be back.
Scripture: Job 39, 40; 1 Cor 13, 14
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Observation/Application
This is a great spot to substitute the word “Charlie” for the word “love” to get an idea how I look next to the gold standard. Here’s how it gets rendered:
Charlie is patient and kind; Charlie does not envy or boast; Charlie is not arrogant or rude. Charlie does not insist on his own way; Charlie is not irritable or resentful; Charlie does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Charlie bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
It is both a litmus test to evaluate how my life looks in comparison to where it should be, and a handy reminder of what I’m striving to become as I allow the Holy Spirit to do his work in my heart.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you that this is a description of what you are like, and that you are in the process of building these things into my life as well. Please lead me today in your ways and teach me. I want you to do your good work in me today so that I am more like you day by day. Amen.
