The Crazy Thing About Love

Love is patient. Love is kind.

Those six words looked me dead in the face last night as I folded towels. Two years ago, a dear friend gave me a simple white cotton tea towel as a wedding present. Written on it are the wise words from 1 Corinthians 13:4.  

Briefly, it took me back to the days of wedding planning, bridal showers, and the excitement of a new life with my soon-to-be husband. And as I sat reminiscing, the sound of our dinner alarm and clothes dryer timer snapped me back to reality.

In the early days of marriage, I only requested that these “cutesy” towels be used for decoration. That didn’t last too long. Like most normal people, my husband saw the kitchen towel and started using it to scrub counters, clean the stove, and wipe up messes from cooking spills. After all, a towel is a towel – right?

But as I looked at that piece of fabric last night, I noticed all the stains. Now, it’s tattered. And somehow, it even has a tiny hole burnt through it? Not at all sure how that happened. Nevertheless, what once was white has been replaced by a plethora of messes.

The same can be said of marriage.

On the day we say, “I do,” everything is hopeful, pure, white, and fun. But the further we go in life together, the “messier” things get. Between health, schedules, keeping a home, managing finances, and learning how to meet the needs of our loved ones, it can become challenging. And in those moments, it can be hard to choose selfless love first.    

Don’t get me wrong! Marriage is the best gift. But the thing about it is no matter how in love we are – it is still the union of two sinners serving each other daily.

The more time passed since my wedding day, the more I understood the picture of love given to us in 1 Corinthians 13. Pure love is hard. If we aren’t careful, we can slip into the type of self-entitled “love” the world teaches. Following that method, instead of grace, it is easier to choose bitterness, arrogance, and entitlement.

The difference between worldly and Christ-centered love can sound like this:

“The dishes still aren’t done.”

Love is patient. Love is kind.

“I did something for you. I expect the same thing or more.”

Love does not boast. It is not arrogant or rude.

“I made a mistake, but I least I didn’t do what you did.”

[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Scripture is clear. Our calling as Christian husbands and wives is much higher. Christ-centered love, mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13, is the most important gift we can give our spouses and families. Yet, do we do that when life gets hard?

As the saying goes, “Love can make you do crazy things.” That’s because when it gets down to the nitty-gritty, there’s nothing we won’t do for the ones we love most.

Jesus went to the cross, knowing how messy our lives would be.

How much better would our lives be if we chose patience, kindness, honor, and goodness for our relationships?

Love bears and endures all things. Even when it gets messy, Christ-centered love will never end.  

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a).

P.S. That dingy towel is now our favorite of all!