Two-minute read.
It does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
1 Corinthians 13:6
No record keeping.
Love has no part in wrongdoing, including keeping track of it. When offenses occur, responding with grace and not recording it helps us move forward with love. Rejoicing with truth and positive reinforcement helps promote better behavior.
Becoming a tennis coach, I learned to emphasize positive behavior. When a student hits the ball well, tell them. Accentuate the good traits they did to accomplish the task. Ignore the bad strokes and highlight the best ones. By emphasizing the right actions, the student learns what to do because of the praise received. They know they get the desired results when they follow the swing path, finish high, and accelerate through the shot. Repeating the behavior reinforces the outcome.
When we focus on the wrong things, it prevents us from loving. Ruminating on an offense only makes it grow. Letting wrongdoings go free us from the hurt and allows us to heal. Whether or not the person changes, we can’t control.
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Mark 10:21-22
When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus told him to sell everything and follow him, but the man couldn’t do that, so he went away sad. Notice that the scripture tells us Jesus loved the young ruler. Christ allowed the man to decide on his actions, not enabling the king.
Jesus still loved the rich ruler, not wanting any to perish. But love requires a choice, and like the young man, we don’t always make the right one. Thankfully, God gives us more than one chance to do better. Rejoicing with us when we make wise choices, allowing us to grow from our bad decisions, we become more like Christ as we consistently follow Him.
Like a student learning a tennis stroke, repetition of the proper movements leads to success. Practicing grace, not keeping track of wrongs, but choosing to respond with love will lead to much rejoicing. Record keeping only stunts growth, but letting go of offenses frees us to live fully.
Love Challenge:
Get rid of the records. Consciously choose to let go of past offenses, no longer keeping track of them. Repeat as necessary.
