Tuesday; September 21

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s 43rd Sonnet contains one of the most familiar phrases in English Literature. As she evaluated the presence of love, she wrote, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”. There is no telling how many times this poem has been used to profess one person’s love to another nor how many times the phrase has been used to begin a general discussion of love.
Interestingly, the Bible has something in common with Browning. You see, it too asks – then answers – the question, “How do I love thee?”. There are many places that describe love, but I came across a rather unusual one the other day. The Apostle Paul may be best known for his description of love in I Corinthians 13, but in his letter to the church in Ephesus, he observed, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32). While he doesn’t use the word “love” anywhere in the passage, he captures the presence of love. By getting rid of things like bitterness, anger, meanness and malice – then replacing them with kindness, care and forgiveness – we demonstrate love to the people around us. Love, which is a desire for the best for others, is demonstrated by controlling our emotions, opening our hearts and watching our tongues. By eliminating the bad and replacing it with the good, we provide love to others.
I doubt that the Apostle Paul will make it on as many Hallmark Cards as Ms. Browning, but let’s not forget his encouragement. When we are purposeful in what we do and say, we can shower Christian love on the people around us.

Think About It!

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