The following is a continued list of 15 characteristics from 1 Corinthians 13. You may view Part 1 here.

Love thinks no evil (v.5)

  • Do you remember others' wrongs or failures with pleasure? Do you keep track of their offenses or hold a grudge?
  • Are you quick to forgive those who wrong you, clearing the record of their offense?
  • Do you focus on people's quirks and foibles instead of their strengths?
  • When wrong thoughts about people come to mind, do you silently pray for them? Or, do you criticize them to others?

     

    Love does not rejoice in iniquity (v.6)

  • Do you love righteousness? Do you hate evil?
  • Do you laugh when sin-wrong words, attitudes, or behavior are presented in a humorous light?
  • Are you grieved when you or another believer sins?
  • Do you sympathize with others in their wrong doing or wrong thinking about God and His ways-making excuses for their sin?
  • Do you thrive on gossip?
  • Are you secretly happy when another person falls into sin?

     

    Love rejoices in the truth (v.6)

  • Do you welcome others sharing truth with you about your life and needs?
  • Are you discerning about doctrinal truth and error? Do you compromise the truth?
  • Are you willing to lovingly speak the truth in private to those who have wandered far from it, even if that means risking rejection?
  • Do you rejoice when truth triumphs? When people turn to God and change?
  • Do you encourage others when they choose to do right?

     

    Love bears all things (v.7)

  • Do you have the kind of love that covers a multitude of offenses?
  • Do you seek to cover and protect others from attacks or harm?
  • Are you willing to endure hardships for others' sake without complaining?
  • Are you willing to waive your personal rights-even legitimate ones-in order to advance the cause of Christ or guard His reputation?
  • Have you learned to patiently trust God through the darkest circumstances of life?

     

    Love believes all things (v.7)

  • Do you assume positively of people, giving them the benefit of the doubt?
  • Are you quick to jump to conclusions? Do you assume people's motives or actions are wrong before getting all the facts?
  • Do you generally regard people with suspicion?
  • Have you learned to examine situations carefully from a biblical perspective?

     

    Love hopes all things (v.7)

  • Have you given up on God's ability to change certain people?
  • Do you simply expect negative behavior from certain people?
  • Do you try to see people through God's eyes so that you can reach out to meet their needs? Do you have a vision of what a person can be when walking with the Lord?
  • Do you seek the big picture (God's perspective)? Or, are you frustrated when events do not work out as you had planned?

     

    Love endures all things (v.7)

  • Does your love remain strong through testing, even when faced with humanly insurmountable obstacles?
  • Is your love dependent on others' responses?
  • Do you keep loving, even when your efforts are rejected or seem unsuccessful?
  • When you feel you cannot love, do you choose to act in loving ways-asking God to express His love through you-until your feelings catch up?

     

    Pursue love (1 Corinthians 14:1a)

  • Agree with God about your inability or unwillingness to express His love.
  • Ask God to fill you with His love and His Spirit.
  • Make a conscious choice to love every person, in every situation.
  • Let the love of Christ be the measure of your love.