The Fruit of the Spirit 14 (Love is not rude)


 "Love does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil." (1 Corinthians 13:5)

In 1 Corinthians 13:5, Paul highlights another characteristic of love inspired by the Holy Spirit: Love does not behave rudely. That means that love does not intentionally dishonor or harm others. Those motivated by Christ's love do not seek to shame or disgrace others. In simpler terms, love is polite, courteous, and civil.

Seasoned with Grace

The concept of behaving unseemly, as mentioned here, primarily refers to being vulgar. Although there are other ways to behave unseemly, such as through attitude, gestures, and body language, I want to focus on vulgarity.

In Colossians 4:6, Paul tells us to let our speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, to know how to respond to each person. That emphasizes that our words should reflect the grace we have received. Unfortunately, we often speak in a derogatory manner and negatively impact others because we fail to recognize the grace we have received from Christ. When we do not acknowledge God's graciousness, our behavior cannot align with the grace and love of Christ.
It is crucial to acknowledge that it is by God's grace we are where we are. Therefore, we must not be an opportunity to slander others. This message is directed to those in positions of authority and also applies to those under someone's authority.

Let me ask, what is your intention behind correcting someone? Is it motivated by sincere love to help the person grow and walk in the path of light and truth? Sadly, Love is not the driving force of most corrections. They often serve to prove a point from an egotistical perspective or to shame and attack the person. That is the reason many corrections don't achieve the desired result because it is not in love. And the Holy Spirit cannot work in an environment devoid of love as its foundation.

Jesus, the grandest man.

Looking at Jesus, the grandest man who ever lived, even when He walked the earth as a man, He treated every person with reverence. Jesus showed respect and dignity to people regardless of their social class or background. As followers of Christ, we should not selectively display agape love based on whom we deem worthy.

Reflecting on the life of Christ, the God-man, who chose fishermen as His companions and close friends, intentionally lived in opposition to ego and pride. That is the life God has called us to live.

Now consider this: What is the most profound act of love in history? It is undoubtedly the sacrificial life of Christ, who endured a shameful death on the cross for you and me. The most captivating act is one that withstands shame, reproach, and mistreatment from those He created. He did not seek revenge but forgave our sins, wiped away our debts, and became our Savior and friend. When we contemplate such love, we cannot treat our neighbors impolitely. We simply cannot!


Written by:
Peter Ayoola Fakeye (PAF)

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