Monday, May 11, 2015

A Loving Home is a Kind Home


Love suffers long and is kind. If love dwells in your home, there will be kindness and patience with other's faults. When we love others more than we love ourselves, kindness and patience are our natural response. We say "Please" and "Thank you," appreciating anything kind someone does for us. We don't demand our way but give way to others.

Love does not envy. A home where love dwells is content with the Lord's provision. It doesn't care about the Jones' next door and their new car and perfectly decorated home. A loving home loves the Jones' and does everything they can to minister to them and be good and kind neighbors. The children don't have LONG Christmas lists since they understand the true meaning of Christmas. They don't learn the "gimmies" but grow up to become givers.

Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up. This home shares everything that it has been blessed with; material possessions, time and talents. It never thinks more highly of itself than it ought for the greatest of all is the servant of all. It loves those in need and is willing to bend down and help them, even the least of them. They understand that eveyone is equal and made in the image of God. Those in this home know that they are NOTHING without the Lord and His power working mightily within them.

A loving home does not behave rudely. It is considerate towards others. Those living in it are gracious, courteous and pleasant to be with. Visitors feel welcome in a loving home and go away feeling uplifted and happier than when they arrived. There is no meanness and NO walking on eggshells. Everyone is accepted and loved as they are; warts and all.

This home doesn’t seek its own. It wants to help others and is available, if at all possible. Self-pity does not live in this home, nor does a complaining or a critical spirit. It seeks the good of others and wants to make others' lives better.

It does not get provoked. There are no angry outbursts and tempers displayed. If there are temper tantrums, they are dealt with immediately. There are no slammed doors or yelling. Peace and goodwill invades the home.

This home thinks no evil. Those living in it dwell on the lovely and the good. It guards against all evil entering into the home. It thinks the best of others and lives by overcoming evil with good.

A loving home doesn’t rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the Truth. It lives moral lives and walks justly. It hates what is evil and literally clings to what is good. The home is strictly guarded from sin entering. If sin enters, it is confessed and repented of quickly. Gossip and slander are not named in this home.

It bears all thing, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Love NEVER fails! This home is filled with optimism. Everyone smiles at the future. They always remember Who is on the throne and how it all ends; we are simply strangers and aliens passing through, believing all of God’s promises. This home is FULL of hope and joy!

***All taken from I Corinthians 13.

More posts in my Home Series.
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