What is the strongest motivation in your life?

Some people are driven by fear, greed, or lust. Others see faith as a primary incentive. But when love is present in a person's life, it is one of the most powerful motivating forces known to man.

     First Corinthians 13 is sometimes referred to as the "love chapter" of the Bible. There, the apostle Paul talks about the pre-eminence of love over biblical knowledge, powerful faith, generosity, and even the ultimate sacrifice of one's own life. (verses 1-3) Then, in the next four verses, he explains how genuine love acts. You might react to this description by thinking, I'm not sure I can do that! And you would be absolutely correctno one can, in his own strength, carry out all these actions of love. It is impossible apart from almighty God, who is the source of love.

     In fact, the Bible tells us God is love. (1 John 4:8) When you and I trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the Holy Spirit came to indwell us, and therefore we have the love of God inside of us. As we surrender ourselves to Him, He allows His divine lovenot human loveto flow through us. That means Christians have a capacity to love that the unbeliever does not have; it supercedes what human beings can do in their own strength. The Bible terms this love "agape."

     Unselfish, willing to sacrifice, and ready to serve, agape love is committed to someone else's best interest. So how does divine love act? It is first of all patient for God's timing and purposes. In those frustrating circumstances that we are helpless to change, God's love provides the power, capacity, and courage to continue waiting until He sees fit to alter the situation. For example, marrying quickly because you "just can't wait" reveals a desire to fulfill self, even at the other person's expense. Agape gives us the patience to wait for what is best.

     With God's love, we also have the capacity to be kind toward others, whether or not they are kind to us. When we are criticized, mistreated, or falsely accused, we may want to respond vengefully, as the world would. But with God living and loving on the inside of us, we can respond considerately. Kindness also conveys the idea of healing it means being willing to go out of our way to lift a person up. Today we have many opportunities for kindness because discouragement, disillusionment, and despair abound.

     Notice that in every agape action Paul describes, we must forget ourselves. Unfortunately, most people never truly learn to love because they can't get beyond themselves. We have to get out of the way and let God's love flow through us. Then kindness, gentleness, and a desire to heal will naturally exude from us. Believers have Jesus' love on the inside; as we submit to the Holy Spirit, who controls the flow, agape love can pour forth and touch other lives.

     Paul also tells us that divine love is not jealous; it enables us to share. Some people might regard jealousy as a protective attitude, but it actually has more to do with fear than protection. If we are afraid of losing someone's faithfulness, we can become protective of it, attempting to restrict which companions that individual may have. We may even become jealous when someone receives rewards or recognition. These attitudes speak of self, while agape lovethe kind God wants us to have for Him as well as those around usis concerned with others. It asks, not "What is good for me?" but "God, what is Your will, Your purpose, and Your plan?"

     Another aspect of agape love is humility. People overflowing with God's love do not feel a necessity to prove anything; they are "poised"comfortable sitting quietly and listeningno matter what is going on. The opposite of humility is boastful pride; such arrogance is the equivalent of confessing, "I am empty, so I want your attention. To get it, I must dominate the conversation and gain recognition as the best." But love need not brag because a relationship with God is so satisfying it requires nothing external to feel complete.

     Next, Paul says love "does not act unbecomingly"; in other words, agape love is polite, enabling us to demonstrate godly character when interacting with other people. We can be well-mannered both publicly and privately, regardless of what is happening. John 13:35elaborates, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

     Furthermore, love does not seek its own. In other words, love surrenders its rights. Think about today's culture, where there is so much talk about protecting our "rights." Isn't it interesting that Jesus never talked about His rights? In contrast, as our innocent Savior hung upon the cross, His concern was for the ones who crucified Him to be forgiven. (Luke 23:34)

     If you and I belong to God, we lay down our rights. We do not necessarily allow people to trample us; we simply do not regard our rights as our primary concern. Instead, we should focus on allowing the love of God to flow through us to the other person. For the child of God, the power and capacity to love is available, even in the midst of horrible or embarrassing mistreatment. Why does Matthew 5:39instruct turning the other cheek if someone strikes us? Because love never losesbut we certainly can lose when we demand our rights.

     Another evidence of agape love is that it is not provoked. Godly love makes it possible to have a quiet spirit, no matter what. Being serene around loving friends is one thing; it is another matter to remain composed around nonbelievers who hope to discover and expose some hypocrisy in a Christian. Paul's expression also relates to touchy people who are ready to explode at the slightest misdeedsuch people are living with their focus on themselves and their fuse already lit. Even if that has been our tendency, God's supernatural love flowing through us enables us to step out of our normal pattern and live on a higher level.

     One of the main benefits of agape love is that it does not take into account a wrong suffered. This supernatural love empowers us to forgive, regardless of the circumstances. Some people are "scorekeepers," remembering how they were wronged last week, last year, and twenty years agothis unforgiveness reveals a spirit of imprisonment. The person keeping track of wrongs ends up in bondage to the offenses. God does not intend for us to act that way; He wants us to follow His examplehow many sins have you committed that our Father would not forgive? None. When you trusted Jesus as your personal Savior, God did not just erase the scoreboard; He tore it up. (Psalm 103:12) It is His love in us that enables us to do likewise.

     What's more, agape love "does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" This means God's love enables us to see the hurt in other people's lives and to hate evil that befalls them unjustly. At the same time, we can regard the perpetrators of such evil in a new light: God loves every person equally, even those we might consider despicable and unlovable. (John 3:16) He wants us to love in the same way.

     Verse 7 says that love "bears all things" agape love empowers me to keep to myself any negative remarks I hear about people. Genuine love means looking out for another person's happiness, security, and well-being; it covers a multitude of sins by not being openly critical or spreading gossip. This term also refers to bearing someone else's burdens (Galatians 5:2), which may be an emotional, relational, financial, occupational, or spiritual load. Burdens can seem overwhelming, but we are tapped into an inexhaustible resource: God. If He is our source, then our love is broad enough, deep enough, and wide enough to encompass someone else who is hurting. (Ephesians 3:18-19)

     When Paul says love "believes all things," he is not accusing us of gullibility; rather, he is saying God's love is not suspicious and does not seek a reason to criticize. Agape makes us willing to believe the best about someone in the absence of absolute proof to the contrary.

     Love also "hopes all things," which simply means it enables us to hope for the best in others, no matter what is going on. Think about what gives us the most optimism in our lives, especially during times of difficulty and suffering. When we feel someone else's love, it makes no difference how dark or dingy our circumstances may belove invigorates us and breeds expectancy in our life. As children of God, we can be the vessel through which His supernatural love flows to a world hungry for hope.

     Paul concludes this passage by saying that "love never fails." Not only does this indicate agape love will never run out; it also means that whatever the situation, the proper response always is love. Responding with agape keeps us freewe are not imprisoned by bitterness, anger, hostility, or an unforgiving spirit. You can live in the shackles of hatred, depression, and resentment, or you can be freethe choice is yours. God is waiting to lead you into an abundant life, redeemed by His love.