Love in Practice

Paul's famous description of love is often read at weddings, but he wrote it to a quarrelsome church. Love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not easily angered. Notice how practical each word is. Love is not a feeling that comes and goes; it is a set of behaviors we can choose, even when we do not feel like it. That makes it both demanding and hopeful. It is demanding because it exposes our impatience and pride. It is hopeful because it means love can be learned. Today, pick one quality from the list, patience, kindness or not keeping a record of wrongs, and aim to practice it with one specific person. Notice the moment when you would normally react, and choose the slower, kinder response instead.