Charity [Love] "Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." — I Cor. 13:5
It seemed appropriate to me to dissect the previous verse and treat each element on its own. It seems equally appropriate to treat this verse just the opposite, the reasons for which I trust will become obvious as we progress.
"Love," our text declares, "does not behave itself unseemly." Unseemly is a word not often used in our vocabulary today, but it means "improper." To turn the thought from the negative to the positive, Love is always characterized by good behavior— and that, of course, by Divine definition. Love behaves the way God behaves. This Love is demonstrated supremely, of course, and as we have noted before, in our Lord Jesus Christ. He said, "I do always those things that please Him," and that eventuates in behavior consistent with the Father's will. Again He said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." When you see Christ behaving, you see the way God behaves, and that is the behavior of the God who IS Love. When a believer behaves prompted by Love, the disposoition of heart and the same pattern of conduct will be evident.
What prompts "unseemly" behavior? Three things are implied in the remaining clauses of this verse. The first is self-seeking. Envy, self exaltation and an inflated ego (v.4) are essentially attitudes; self seeking is attitude translated into action. We define the turf we deem "ours," and set about to acquire or defend it in ways that are inconsistent with Love, which "seeketh not her own."
The second is self-sensitivity, which is easily irritated. Love, in contrast, "is not easily provoked." That is, Love is not touchy. The self-seeking disposition is; it reacts negatively to any invasion of its territory, any infringement on its "rights," any undermining of its position or power, real or imagined, any diminishing of popularity.
And the third is a suspicious or vindictive nature. Love "thinketh no evil." That is to say, Love entertains no negative thoughts toward others, however it may be treated. It entertains no suspicion of, nor hostility toward those who in reality or in our imagination have treated us badly.
All of this is supremely illustrated in Christ, as we have suggested above. In Love He Who "knew no sin" surrendered all that was legitimately His own, including His very life, to become "sin for us." In the course of His earthly life and ministry, He is never seen as irritated or annoyed, despite the opposition He encountered. And so devoid of "evil thoughts" was He that from the humiliation, agony and indignity of the cross His heart cry was, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
This quality of utter selflessness can never be natively ours. It is reflected in us only if and when we have surrendered self to the Lordship of Christ. The revivalist Leonard Ravenhill caught the essence of it in his little plaque which read, "The Christian who assesses himself as being crucified with Christ has no ambitions, and so has nothing to be jealous about; He has no reputation, and so has nothing to fight about; He has no possessions, and therefore, nothing to worry about. He has no "rights" so, therefore, he can suffer no wrong. He is already dead, so no one can kill him."
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." — Gal. 6:14
That is God's cure for "unseemly" behavior!
For the glory of God,
"Pastor" Frasier
It seemed appropriate to me to dissect the previous verse and treat each element on its own. It seems equally appropriate to treat this verse just the opposite, the reasons for which I trust will become obvious as we progress.
"Love," our text declares, "does not behave itself unseemly." Unseemly is a word not often used in our vocabulary today, but it means "improper." To turn the thought from the negative to the positive, Love is always characterized by good behavior— and that, of course, by Divine definition. Love behaves the way God behaves. This Love is demonstrated supremely, of course, and as we have noted before, in our Lord Jesus Christ. He said, "I do always those things that please Him," and that eventuates in behavior consistent with the Father's will. Again He said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." When you see Christ behaving, you see the way God behaves, and that is the behavior of the God who IS Love. When a believer behaves prompted by Love, the disposoition of heart and the same pattern of conduct will be evident.
What prompts "unseemly" behavior? Three things are implied in the remaining clauses of this verse. The first is self-seeking. Envy, self exaltation and an inflated ego (v.4) are essentially attitudes; self seeking is attitude translated into action. We define the turf we deem "ours," and set about to acquire or defend it in ways that are inconsistent with Love, which "seeketh not her own."
The second is self-sensitivity, which is easily irritated. Love, in contrast, "is not easily provoked." That is, Love is not touchy. The self-seeking disposition is; it reacts negatively to any invasion of its territory, any infringement on its "rights," any undermining of its position or power, real or imagined, any diminishing of popularity.
And the third is a suspicious or vindictive nature. Love "thinketh no evil." That is to say, Love entertains no negative thoughts toward others, however it may be treated. It entertains no suspicion of, nor hostility toward those who in reality or in our imagination have treated us badly.
All of this is supremely illustrated in Christ, as we have suggested above. In Love He Who "knew no sin" surrendered all that was legitimately His own, including His very life, to become "sin for us." In the course of His earthly life and ministry, He is never seen as irritated or annoyed, despite the opposition He encountered. And so devoid of "evil thoughts" was He that from the humiliation, agony and indignity of the cross His heart cry was, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
This quality of utter selflessness can never be natively ours. It is reflected in us only if and when we have surrendered self to the Lordship of Christ. The revivalist Leonard Ravenhill caught the essence of it in his little plaque which read, "The Christian who assesses himself as being crucified with Christ has no ambitions, and so has nothing to be jealous about; He has no reputation, and so has nothing to fight about; He has no possessions, and therefore, nothing to worry about. He has no "rights" so, therefore, he can suffer no wrong. He is already dead, so no one can kill him."
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." — Gal. 6:14
That is God's cure for "unseemly" behavior!
For the glory of God,
"Pastor" Frasier
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