My Favorite Verse on Love

By Christina Kim - November 11, 2014

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.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7


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This is one of my personal favorite quotes; so much in fact that I have even used it in the reading for my wedding ceremony. It may sound like a cliché quote; having been associated and used in many weddings, movies and oh, in any event based on the notion of love I suppose (obviously).
Cliché or not, this quote is one of the most beautiful quote and I love the simplicity yet in-depth meaning the quote holds in relation to the concept of love. It is therefore no surprise this quote won the hearts of many (hands down) for weddings, engagements, professions of love, and well, all that has to do with love as mentioned earlier. After all, what could be better to describe or depict love than a love verse; and a biblical adaptation none less?

It sounds like a really really simple quote, and it is, and should be for things are only complicated when we make them out to be. The notion of love; or the general perception of love is beautifully represented in the adjectives made out in the verse to make the telling of the greatness of this amazing thing called Love. 
We have come across many versions of love; and how love is perceived by everyone (individually, culturally, etc) and there is no way of telling the right from the wrong because simply put, there is no right or wrong when it comes to this concept. 
Love is just subjective in that manner, and everyone has their own encounter or set of experiences when it comes to love and there is just endless possibilities of everyone’s definition of love.

Love works in many ways, and comes in many forms. It may sometimes be easily spotted but sometimes it could just slip by unnoticed. 
Love is just surprising and wonderfully so in this context and it is the reason it just creeps in and touches everyone’s heart in its many works. Everyone has definitely crossed paths with love in one way or another and love does not pertain to the romantic links between lovers, but far more and could even send sparks between a human being and an object; and that is just one of the many surprises brought on by love. It is simply inexplicable and we would never even know when it hits us. It could be sudden, or it could be gradual, or even in loud realization. We can never anticipate falling in love – it is not something which can be forecasted or planned in advance, nor can we predict our falling out of love and when we just have to let go.

Love is such a vast subject that it could take me a thesis to just write on this subject, but this post is focused on the biblical verse I favor so much and to share my personal perspectives on how this verse enlightened and better still, enriched my very own perceptions on love.


Love is patient.
Truly, when one is in love, or loves another, there is no rush. There is never a hurry to seek that love or race against time to have that love reciprocated. Far beyond it, there is no such thing as being cross or giving up on that person simply because there is just too much to work on when being with that person.
From parents’ love to two people in love, patience always prevails. 
A child could be obstinate and defiant, rejecting his/her parents’ love for many reasons; from the social peer pressure to the demands of liberty, there are just so many ways a child would just turn away from their parents when they are of age (or not). Some would even involve themselves in activities of vice; bringing shame to the family, and yet do the parents just disown them? Well, some might, but deep down inside, does that mean the parents stop loving their children simply because of their vices? They are still harboring that hope in their heart which only God knows, that their child would someday come to his/her senses and return as that precious prodigal son. 
Time is never of an essence here when it comes to this love.
The same goes for two person in love. 
When one truly falls in love, there is no such thing as waiting for too long or giving up on a person simply because the person says no. True love means being able to accept and waiting for that person, even if it means forever. When love has settled in the heart, there is never a way to measure that length of time taken to receive love from the other side. Sometimes, there is also the acceptance that the love may never be reciprocated but that one in love would always be there, patiently, waiting (or not) to be there for the person they love.
There is no amount of time which could measure up to the extent of one’s love. 
When one loves, one loves with all of his/her heart. Being patient is not only in relation to the time measurement, but also to the acceptance and the ability to tolerate all that comes with the person/thing they love. One could be transfixed on an old book they have been searching for a very long time, and yet they never gave up because it was something they knew they wanted. When the book is found, it could be torn, or in many ways, shoddy in appearance but the book hunter would just ignore it all and treat it as though it was a precious treasure. Although the wait is over, there is nothing greater than the joy of a love found. The same goes to a returning child who has stumbled, swayed and loses their way yet is treated the same way as though time was frozen when they return to home. 
When one finds and meets the love of his/her life, suddenly, time no longer matters.
Everything that is good and bad are no longer important, there is always that reason to forgive that person. There is always that reason to forsake and ignore that bugging appearance of the person/object. 
Nothing matters except that the hole in the heart has been filled, with the true love.

Love is Kind.

Love truly is, and can be compassionate in so many ways. It cannot be evil, nor trashing nor condescending to the other. Love always finds its ways in the most unexpected of places; even amidst the visible dirt where many would shy away from, love could manifest in that way. 
Love knows no boundaries; race, age, gender, religion or language. The language of love can be spoken in many ways, and often in times when one is in the lowest point of states. 
Love does not discriminate. That is how exactly we could feel love for someone we do not know, just by looking at the state of their conditions (poor living state, poor health, pleading eyes, etc). It is sympathetic in many ways, yet there is that sense of love when one decides to give out to lend their hand to help the people in true need. The truth lovers feel the need to help, and to be there to do something for these unfortunate strangers whom they have no relation nor blood connection. There is just so much in their heart to be able to give without expecting anything in return, simply because the love they felt to do God’s will.
Being able to never put someone down, to never do something bad or have the heart to hurt someone; whether intentionally or unintentionally, and subconsciously is the notion of kindness that comes with the package of love. The heart that goes out and the inability to even upset or just to set someone in the opposite direction is when love is truly at work. It is an act of kindness; it is about being sweet and warm to someone one truly cares about. There is never too much effort, never annoying to just be able to be there for that person we truly love. If we could never hurt a stranger, or a fragile being, or even any little furry or helpless creature, how could we even hurt someone we love? 
That, is truly love at work.

It does Not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud

Love means never feeling jealous of others. It is not about victory; as there was never a competition to begin with. To love is to be able to give and accept freely. A parent who loves a child would never be jealous when others love their own child, as much as they or even more than them. No one contests to compare the amount of love one gives out and then receives. There is no need to feel belittled by the love others receive for it is just a different way of displaying affection by the various parties in the world. We should be happy with the love we receive, and fundamentally, the greatest love of all; is from God himself. 
There is nothing to envy about; for when we love, we want to see more love and happiness dwelling in every corner of the world. Others happiness matter to make the world a greater place to live in. When everyone is happy, there will be no more wars and conflicts. There will no more misery, no more suffering and no more worries. It is like the greater state of Utopia achieved; only that it will need to strike a harmonic balance for everything in the universe to fall in place.
We should not boast or show off the amount of love we invested in and tell to others our achievements. 
Love is not a victory; there was never a conquest to begin with. If there should be a conquest, the only thing should be to achieve true love and to be able to instill love in everyone. True love speaks not of winning but of being able to love. There is no pride when one wins the love of another, or have that person beside them. Love is just in its own ways, pure and uncensored in all its glory.


It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.

Love means not putting others down. There is no self-centeredness when it comes to love. 
Love is not about oneself, and one’s personal feelings. The journey of love does not end when one finds the soulmate or lifelong love partner to share on the journey.
Love is about extending to others, about honoring others with love and respect. It is not all about self-consuming and holding the love we sought to ourselves. 
Love is to be shared, it is to be spread to others when we found love ourselves. It is infectious, it should be contagious and ought to be dissipated like air and heat. It is not about our self-need for love, or to fill that void in our hearts. It is not about being loved ourselves and that is the end. When we love, we need to love others around us. We start with our loved ones, our neighbors, the people we do not know and the unfortunate people who need love. 
Love can be imagined as though it is sitting on top of an eagle or a bird, that when it is perched atop the body, the bird could slowly spread its wings with might and splendor and fly off, flapping its wings along the way, soaring with joy. 
Love could be so wonderful when it is shared and what better way than to see a world filled with love compared to one filled with anger and negativity?
Love is never easily angered, and it never tracks the wrongs. There is never that tick or cross to say prove the wrong and right in love. 
Love is just about that whole feeling and sense of liberation when one finds it. It settles so comfortably in one’s heart, that one automatically finds that enormous space and infinite tolerance for mistakes and even disappointments that come their way. One could easily be filled with that ability to forgive and forget, and even to the extent of dismissing the thought of being angry at the ones they love. As human beings, it is inevitable that we could fall to the temptations of Satan to commit the deadly sin of anger when things don’t go our way, but with that loved one that we are so deeply smitten with, anger becomes a thing of the past and is even impossible. 
When love nestles in the heart, nothing matters and the thought of being apart and sad because of anger is just simply unspeakable or even unimaginable; such is the power of love.

Love does not delight in the evil; but rejoices in the truth

There is no such thing as wrong or bad when it comes to love.  Negative emotions, or wrongdoings simply could never find its place in the context of love. It is not about making a right wrong, or hurting other people so bad that they would be reduced to misery. It is not about making the worst decisions, but simply, all these can be forsaken, forgiven, simply because it’s love. 
Love has that power to erase the worst decisions, the pains, the tears, the inexplicable hurt from betrayal and just that weeks of heartaches and make them go way as though with a wave of a wand. 
Love, is itself, the truth. 
When one loves, one oversees the bad, and only sees the eyes of Love.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love will never walk away from us. 
Love will never give up and turn its back on us. 
Love is always there, we just do not see it when it’s not in the form of cherubs, heart-shaped filled with beautiful memories, or in Cupid’s arrow and the sentimental songs playing in the background with that candlelit environment. 
Love does not need to come disguised, it is always existent, we just need to open our eyes and heart to feel it. When we are in love, we become immune to the hurt, the disappointments, the mistakes and the unhappiness around us. We want to protect the ones we love; to ensure of their happiness and safety. 
We want to see that smile and twinkle in the eye all the time, simply because we love. We never doubt the love they had or we have for them, we always believe and we will never wonder if they are not in love with us. That confidence came with the strings of love.
Love is never the dead end; when someone ends the marriage or relationship, many would think that love does not exist anymore – at least not for them. That is not the case. 
Love still exists among the other people who cares about them, and also in that distance they may never know, there may be another soulmate just waiting for their paths to cross. Love is not all about being two people, but it is about the greater universe. 
Love will never die; it always holds on strongly and dearly, like that sticky adhesive glue and there is always that chance to find love when we allow it to seep in.

Love never fails.

Love will never walk away from us. We may choose to walk away from love due to our various disappointments, our past failures, our own mistakes but Love will always catch up with us. Love surrounds us and when everything else is not aligned in that constellation with our stars, love is always still dictating the center of the universe in our lives. 
Love will never cease to exist in us.

Love is never selfish.

Love is just wonderful, and even better when it is shared with joy. Some may choose not to believe in love for various reasons, and they may not even be seen to those who chose to turn the blind eye but that does not mean is non existent. 
Love is everywhere; whether you want to see it or not. You just need to feel it with your heart, and open your eyes and heart to fill yourself with that glorious feeling of love. 
Love ought to be shared, and to reach out to those who have yet to experience the greatness of love. 

Spread love, and share that wonderful feeling of being touched. 
When we love, and touch others with love, we experience love in a far greater way.

Love is always, always in the air. Feel it, enjoy it, and spread it.

May the Love always be with each and everyone of you.

Lots of love from me to you :-*


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