Living Life by Design

I was reading about a missionary this morning who, each day, would read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. The four verses lists sixteen characteristics of love. For the word ‘love’ this missionary would substitute her own name. When she reached a characteristic that she knew was not true of her, she had to stop. Her aim was, one day, to get through the whole list. How far down the list can you go before you have to stop?

___is patient

___is kind

___It does not envy

___does not boast

___is not proud

___does not dishonor others

___is not self-seeking

___is not easily angered

___does not keep record of wrongs

___does not delight in evil

___rejoices with the truth

___always protects

___always trusts

___always hopes

___always perseveres

___never fails

God is love. We deceive ourselves if we think we can love God and hate other people (1 John 4:20). Love should be the first item on our spiritual priority list. It should be the main thing in our life. It is, in the words of St Paul, ‘the most excellent way’ (1 Corinthians 12:31).

How far down the list did you get?