Reflection Paper

On 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, it says there that “Love is patient, Love is kind, it does not envy, it does not
boast, it is not proud, it doesn’t dishonor other, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no
records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always
trusts, always hope, always perseveres. Love never fails.” There is nothing mercurial about love. It is not
based on whims, feelings or passing fancies. Love is rock-solid and it has the intent on benefitting the
one loved, regardless the cost of it and the most solid example is the love of God. His love never fails,
and it never ends. This verse taught me that faith, hope, love come together in a eternal formation of
heavenly gifts, but the greatest of all is love. Spiritual gifts are appropriate for a time or season, but love
lasts forever. It indicates to me that without love, life's obstacles are overwhelming. Take a moment to
reflect on what life has to offer. First, we must battle our own wicked nature. We are continually urged
to be proud of who we are, to focus on our strengths, and to downplay our flaws, yet a discerning
person cannot disregard his or her own heart. He is aware of the fact that he has a number of flaws,
including a nasty swamp at the core of his character that continuously bubbles to the surface in his
actions. Even if we simply had to deal with our own wickedness, life would still be difficult because we
also have to contend with the immorality of other people. How will we possibly meet these demands?
Since Jesus was touched and motivated by the needs of the sick, impoverished, and oppressed, love "is
kind," it is generous and tender. Love "does not envy" and is not dismayed when another triumphs. We
can be joyful even though others are more fortunate than we are because of love. Love "does not
parade itself," meaning that we do not put ourselves on display and live for other people's attention and
approval. Love "is not puffed up," it isn't pretentious or haughty. Love "does not act rudely," it does not
make another feel ashamed or embarrassed. Love "does not seek its own"; it is not self-centered or
intolerant of disobedience; rather, it is steadfastly concerned with the happiness of others. Love is not
angry, temperamental, touchy, thin-skinned, or quickly offended; rather, it is "not provoked." Love
"thinks no evil"; it does not compile a list of all the wrongs committed by others with the intention of
exacting retribution. Love "rejoices in the truth" because it never opposes the truth, never compromises
it, and always rejoices when the truth triumphs. Those lines in 1 Corinthians hold a special place in my
heart. I make an effort to show that type of love through my actions. Since we are all flawed, neither I
nor anybody else can perform this properly. We must nevertheless make an effort to demonstrate love
in whatever we do. That is Christianity in action because being a Christian entails following in Jesus'
footsteps and acting in a similar manner to him in our daily lives.