This may sound really similar to last week’s post about love encourages. However, there is a slight slant to it. The words in 1 Corinthians 13:5 are “[love] does not dishonor others,”.
Y’all listen up. People who are rude and self centered do not need our help in being dishonored. Everyone notices. They even know it in their heart as well. They will naturally lose status and favor, friends, and supporters. We don’t need to go out of our way to point out their flaws. Especially in a dishonoring way like gossiping or tearing down. Besides, God says this isn’t the way to show love.
So, I turned it around because I like looking at it from the positive side. If love does not dishonor others, what DOES it do? It builds up! The biblical word for this is edification. We edify others when we remind them of who God created them to be. The easiest time to do this is when they aren’t quite living up to the standard God put in their hearts. They know it, you know it, but a call to be better is so much more likely to be received than a remark on how bad they are failing right now.
I think you will agree that this world could use a lot more love. A lot more building up instead of tearing down. Love does not dishonor others. Love builds up!
