Love is patient, Love is kind.

I don’t typically post about too many personal thoughts & ramblings on life, let alone personal thoughts with a religious undertone, but this I could not let go…..so here goes nothing!

This past Sunday, I was asked to read a verse from the bible in church. I had never done something like that and was a bit nervous to speak in front of so many people, but since I couldn’t say no and really didn’t have a better excuse, up I went. Interestingly enough, the verse they asked me to read was one from our wedding vows, as many other couples also have read. It’s the beginning and middle part of the famous “Love Chapter”. Anyway, here it is:

1 Corinthians 13: 1-8 (NIV)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,  but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

After the reading, our Pastor got up to speak on his sermon for the day, which he chose to focus in on the first part of verse 4: “Love is patient, Love is Kind“. (The remaining verses will be spoken about over the next 10 weeks- I can’t wait as this one was awesome!).

Anyway, the whole thing got my mind racing and I felt I must write about it all. But where do I even start with “Love is patient, love is kind“? It’s like opening a can of worms these days- both within my own life, as well as within society at large.

Let me begin with this- what is going on in our world today? Can someone please explain to me what is wrong with people these days? In the USA alone in the past few months, we’ve got the shooting of innocent teachers & children at Sandy Hook elementary school, the terrorist bombing in Boston at the marathon & the fertilizer plant explosion in Texas. In India we’ve got the gang rape of a woman, in Syria their civil war, in the Middle East, Asia, and South America- multiple earthquakes, in China the bird flu epidemic is back, in North Korea the threat of a nuclear attack, and here in Malaysia, the upcoming parliament elections & all the craziness that goes along with that (being that the last one was over 5 years ago!). There is also the ongoing fight for clean water in Asia & Africa, child slavery throughout the world, gay marriage debates, and more. And these are just a few stories named….there are TONS more stories both in and out of the news happening each and every day. Its so heartbreaking and for me, creates such a feeling of helplessness.

In my own life, as trivial as it now feels after writing the above, I struggle with the daily obstacles of living in a foreign country in SE Asia within an (arguably) third world country no less. I struggle with the relationships I have with family & friends back in the states, I struggle with the emotions of becoming a mom (11 more weeks to go!), I struggle with the delicate balance of creating a warm, loving, and healthy home life with my husband, I struggle with finding a voice for myself now that I am not “formally working”, and so much more.

But amidst all the craziness of the above- both within my own life and within society at large, I always must remember to go back to this- Love is patient, Love is kind. These simple 6 powerful words can change your life, or at least the outlook you choose to have on life. And that is what this past Sunday has forced me to do: only “I” can change the way I look at things. Only “I” have the power to be patient, to be kind, to be loving, no matter the cost or the consequences. And as the Bible clearly says- not to just my neighbor, but to my enemy as well.

So my takeaway is this- I have zero control on the actions of others, I only have my reaction to it all that I can control. I’m not going to lie, I am not the most patient person in the world, but I do feel, in my humble opinion, that I am very kind. However, putting those two words together- Patience & kindness, can sometimes be really difficult. Put in front of those two words- LOVE, and all of a sudden, those 6 simple words- Love is patient, Love is kind, take on a whole new meaning. What is kindness without Love? What is patience without Love? Its almost hollow, even writing it out.

When yet another crazy Malaysian driver tries to force me off the road, I must take patience in letting him go ahead of me. When the grocery store is out, yet again, of greek yogurt, I must take a deep breath, find something else, and remember the things that I do love about where I currently live. When the 5 boxes of coffee pods that I just purchased are all expired, I must let it go. When it takes me 30 minutes to find a parking spot at the hospital for my prenatal checkups, I must remember to leave even earlier the next time. When yet another leak or mishap has taken place at our rental house and I need to wait for contractors to come and fix the issue(s), I must be patient with their way of fixing things & to be kind to their broken english…even if that means a simple leak taking 2 1/2 weeks to fix & I can’t understand a single word spoken. When a relationship with a family member or friend from back home give me anxiety due to misunderstandings, miscommunications, hurt feelings, and anger, I must remember to take a step back and realize the different paths people’s lives go down, and that above all, love must be present for the relationship to thrive & if its not, move forward with love. When my husband is traveling 6 out of the 8 weeks in a row, I must remember his daily struggles, as well as the gift he has given me, in allowing me to stay at home for this season of life and to greet him upon his return with joy & love. When I lie awake at night wondering if I will be a good mom, I must remember to take deep breaths and pray to God above that He knows my capabilities & will be with me every step of the way. When I feel less worthy now with not bringing home a paycheck, I must remember the gift of writing that I do have, and to keep on keeping on with my blog posts and partnerships with other websites & magazine contributions- knowing in time, it will lead to something great.

When I look at all that is going on around the world, I must remember those 6 simple words- Love is patient, Love is kind. God knows that its not easy, otherwise He wouldn’t have sent His only son to die for our sins. Sometimes I can find myself getting paralyzed out of fear or even out of the overwhelming nature of the beast to tame in this world. But I do know this- Love is patient, Love is kind. It may not happen overnight, but it WILL get better, if only we change our mindsets and our actions- both within our own lives, and within the small but impactful steps we may make in the world- by reaching out somehow, to someone, somewhere, in need.

And I promise you, it WILL change your life…and you know what, it will change the lives of many others as well.

Love is patient, Love is kind. I’m not sure if anything I just said made any sense at all, to me or to you, but I thank you for indulging me & my ramblings today….

Until next time, show someone your loving patience & kindness is at work, in your life & in theirs~

Kimbra