"Mistakes - Part 2"

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." 1 Corinthians 13:4,5

Yesterday we talked about how we all make mistakes and there are some people who like to hold our mistakes "over our head" and not let us forget them. We also were reminded that God never holds them "over our heads"-- He doesn't keep bringing them up to us.

 

As I thought about this, I couldn't help but think about how often this happens in marriages. When there is a conflict or disagreement, one spouse will bring out their "little black book of mistakes" and begin reading it off. This book records all the other spouse's past mistakes, harsh words that may have been spoken, the time they did this or didn't do that, the time they let them down, or did something against them. This list is used as "ammunition" or "leverage" so they can "shoot" at and use it against their spouse-- hopefully to their advantage. I can assure you that it is never to your advantage, but instead to the demise of your marriage. A marriage will never survive like this.  As a matter of fact, no relationship will.... a parent to child, friend to friend, etc. 

 

"Love... thinks no evil". This literally means that love will not keep a record of all the times it was mistreated. Real love doesn't take into account the bad that has been done to it. Real love doesn't keep a list of the wrongs that were done to them. Real love doesn't have a "book of remembrance"-- unless it is a book of the good things that were done for them. 

 

Do you have one of those "books"? Are you keeping a list of the times your spouse (or someone else you are in a relationship with) made a mistake or didn't do what you wanted them to do or thought they should do? Are you using it against them like ammunition? Then you aren't walking in love. You have missed the true meaning of love. Aren't you glad Jesus doesn't have a "book" that He is writing down all the mistakes you have made in and all the times you have done Him wrong? He doesn't because He truly loves you. As His children, we should be following His example and get rid of our book of wrongs that have been done to us.

 

Have a great day. Love doesn't keep a record of the wrongs that has been done to it. 

 

For further reading:

1 Corinthians 13