Love Does Not Parade Itself

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

The greatest proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit in an individual or a congregation is the expression of agape love. But what is love? Today we’ll continue to look at Holy Spirit directed love as found in the love chapter of the Bible….1 Cor 13!

We pick it up in verse 4: 1Co 13:4, where we have another example of what agape love is not!

 

1Co 13:4 love does not parade itself,

 

“Strike up the band! Unfurl the banners! Clear the streets and make way for me because I have the evidence of the Holy Spirit in my life!”  Does that sound loving to you?

 

Let us not forget that the love chapter follows the spiritual gifts chapter and the Corinthians had fallen into the trap of parading their gifts rather than humbly exercising the more excellent way of love.

 

You have been gifted by God! Don’t brag about it, rather humbly thank God for the gift and humbly use it in service to others to help build up the Body of Christ!

 

So put the trumpet away and quietly serve! Mt 6:2 "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

 

Your exercising of your gift is only doing what you are suppose to do and it is certainly not worthy of a self-honoring parade!

 

Lu 17:10 "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.'"

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.