What Is Love?

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You're listening to the My Morning Devotional podcast, episode 1201. Today's Devo is called what is Love?

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Hey there. We're the Alessies, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five minute daily dose of heaven.

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This is the My Morning Devotional podcast. Good morning, everybody. Happy Monday. This week is Valentine's week, so we will be in our topic of love and my name is Stephanie. I don't know if I introduced myself already, but I'm very excited for our devotionals this week, so stay tuned. It's going to be awesome. The topic to this today is what is Love? The popular song what is Love? Baby, don't hurt me. But that's besides the point. We're going to dive into. First Corinthians 13.

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In the NIV version, it says, 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, and it keeps no record of wrongs. So if you don't know, my husband is Cuban and I was born in Miami.

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We were both born in Miami, but his parents are from Cuba. And I am a mix of American, Italian, Hispanic. Because I was raised in Miami, I am a huge mix. But my husband is very, very Cuban, Spaniard. So there is definitely a big culture clash between the two of us. And not only are our cultures very different, but our personalities are extremely different. And like they say, opposites attract, which a wonderful thing. But there are some days where that is a terrible thing because I speak Japanese, he speaks Spanish, and I mean that, like, symbolically. We sometimes are on two opposite sides of the spectrum and we have to work through the conflict that comes with that. Because I am married to him, I have chosen to commit to him. I love him, so I have to commit to him in my actions.

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And what does that mean? It means that I have to practice loving him. Chris is a very different individual and how he likes to be loved is different from how I like to be loved. So I have to figure out how to love Chris. In addition to that, I have a whole new family. I have in laws that are very different for me too. They're all Cuban, they're all Spaniard, and it comes with a very different culture. They do things differently. They Think differently from me, they speak differently from, from me.

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So it's now my job because I've made this commitment to my husband and I love my in laws through my husband. It is now my job to figure out how to love them. And once I figured out how to love them, I have to practice doing that every single day.

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So I have to ask myself, am I, is what I'm doing with my in laws, with my husband, with the people around me that I've committed to love? Is what I'm doing loving them? Am I easily angered? Then it's not love? Am I keeping a record of wrongs?

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If I am, then it's not love.

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Whenever we reach a conflict, whenever we want to react to those around us that we have committed to loving, we have to ask ourselves, is what I'm doing loving to them?

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And when I say commitment to love, I mean the ones that are close in your circle, your spouse, your children, your parents, your siblings, the people that you have made a long term covenant to live life with. Now you've made a commitment to love them. And the Bible says that we have to be patient with them, kind to them, not envy, not boast, not be proud, not dishonor, not self seek, not be easily angered. Do not keep a record of wrongs. And we have to just practice loving them. Let's pray.

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God, I thank you so much for the people that you have brought into my life, that you've brought into our lives. And God, it sometimes goes against our entire nature to practice this love. But thankfully you have set that standard of love for us. So today, Jesus, to those in our lives, help us be patient, help us be kind, help us not be easily angered, help us take that record of wrongs and throw it in the trash. And to instead keep a record of rights. God, help us to honor them.

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Give us the words on how to honor our spouse, how to honor our parents, even when they're doing things that can upset us or be stuff that we disagree with. Give us ways to honor them, Jesus, and help us and guide us in loving those around us.

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You gifted us with the people in our lives, so help us treat these gifts with well and in Jesus name we pray. Amen and Amen. So there you have it, your five minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in. Today we pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend, leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow. We pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.