Love is Not into Itself

Love Is Not In To Itself

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 1 Corinthians 13:4 (KJV)

Have you ever been around someone who is so focused on themselves that they never shut up about who they are and what they are doing? Fortunately, I tend to be a listener and so am able to gratify this type of personality. There are times, though, that I wish someone would show some interest in what the Lord is doing with me and the ministry that has been entrusted to me. Have you ever felt that way?

This word "vaunteth" (perpereuomai) allows us to see the problem of self-centeredness. It comes from perperos, which means braggart. So, to vaunt oneself is to boast about one's self and to display self while employing rhetorical embellishments in extolling one's self excessively.

Self is the center of sin's attention. Another way to say this is: Sin is at the center of self's attention. All sin is self-centered, self-gratifying and self-aggrandizing. As the old song goes, "It's all about Me, Me, Me, nothing else but Me, Me, Me ..." This was the problem with Lucifer's character and what caused him to lose his place in the presence of God. "I will ..., I will ..., I will..., rolls from his lips in utter contempt of God as we read the record of Isaiah 14:13 & 14.

On the other hand, God Who is Love is always focused on the need of His creation. Every decision, every plan, purpose and act was, is, and will be, made and carried out for the ultimate benefit of those He loves. The creation, the world and all that are in it, are loved by God (Joh. 3:16). He is always giving at His own expense to and for those whom He loves.

The late Edwin Louis Cole said, "Love gives to the benefit of others at it's own expense. Lust takes at the expense of others to gratify itself." God is love (1 Joh. 4:8, 16) and therefore can do nothing but give to the benefit of others. What if our interest was in others and helping them do what they are called to do?