Love is central to the Christian life. In Christ, our lives are meant to be lives of love. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment He replied is, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments"' (Matthew 22:37-40).

Since every other law and moral principle in the Bible are examples of how to love, this is not an easy task. 

Paul gives us some idea about 'love' by providing us with a list of characteristics. Our verse for today includes two of them

"Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth" 

(I Corinthians 13:6).

First of all, love is not happy when people do wrong. That is, love hates injustice. All of us know what it is like to be treated badly and none of us like it. It is unfair and it hurts. People filled with love for God and other people won't just ignore it when they see injustices around them. In so far as they are responsible and able, they will do what they can to remedy the situation. It may amount to nothing more than calling the police or informing the proper authorities, but it will be the right thing to do. 

Second, love is always happy with the truth. That is, love is happy when that which is just and true prevails. We live in a world where injustices and the deceptions that mask them are common. When the injustices are righted and the deceptions are exposed, people of love rejoice. Indeed, people of love do what they can to right the injustices and reveal the truth. Clearly, we cannot be the solution to every difficulty in this area, but we will do what we can.

The life of love is a life of righteousness and justice. Live the life of love and God will not fail to reward you, for the Lord blesses the righteous and surrounds them with His favor:

"Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor as with a shield"(Psalm 5:12).

Prayer:

O God, I love you with my whole heart;I love you above all things;I love you more than myself -more than my life!