Love is patient
That familiar, oft-quoted passage from I Corinthians 13. Most of us had it read at our weddings and could probably do a fair job of quoting verses 4-7. The LOVE chapter. The much loved LOVE chapter.
Since it’s Valentine’s Day season, the passage will get a lot of relational air time. For Wednesday’s Word this week, I want to press in to just one phrase found in verse 4 - Love is patient.
As Bible translations go, I am an ESV gal. Or maybe NASB. I think those two are linguistically the most accurate and I like my Truth to be accurate, don’t you? But sometimes, good ole King James communicates the depth of God’s Word in a way that other translations miss. And I think this phrase is one of those times.
In the vernacular of King James, that phrase is read Love suffers long.
“Suffers long” offers greater insight than “patient”, in my opinion.
Let’s unpack it.
The Greek word that is being translated in this passage is “makrothumeo”. (Well, that clears it all up, right???) It means “to suffer long, to forbear, to endure patiently, to exercise patience and understanding towards people”.
if that is the definition of “love”, what is its application? In other words, how does the translation of this word translate into our behavior?
Some thoughts -
Yes, it means to be patient, rather than impatient. But as I pondered how to flesh it out in my own life, I saw an application I had not seen before. It had to do with “suffering long”…
How willing am I to “suffer long” with someone else? Or because of someone else? The use of this Greek word makes it clear that the suffering love calls us to is connected to other people, not suffering as a result of circumstances. By definition, love is not about ourselves…it’s about others.
How might we “suffer long” where others are concerned?
As I pondered this, I realized how many times I wanted to “fix” things, instead of “suffering long”. And as I probed my heart, I had to admit that the “fix” I longed for was actually selfish. Because what I was seeking was removing or avoiding pain for myself.
Instead of praying for deliverance, perhaps love calls us to walk beside a friend as she goes through a painful time. And being there for the long haul, not just delivering a quick meal and then being off to the next task.
Or maybe love means enduring loss because of someone else’s choices…and not walking away but forgiving and hoping instead.
Maybe it’s a willingness to wait without frustration or anger while a loved one lingers “too long” in a season of grief or loneliness.
Maybe it’s learning not to “insist” that everyone be “ok” so that we can then give ourselves permission to be happy.
Maybe it’s learning that loving others means we will hurt and being able to accept that pain with humility and contentment and even joy in the midst of their suffering.
For as long as necessary.
Love suffers long. Amen.