God's Recipe For Superb Life◆◆◆Daily Devotional
Friday 9th, December, 2016.
Pastor Neyo
King James Version
Love Seeks Not Its Own, Is Not Easily Provoked, Thinks No Evil

Charity [agape love] 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

In First Corinthians 13:5, Paul continues his message about the agape love of God. The seventh characteristic he gives us is that this high-level love “…seeketh not her own….”

The word “seeketh” is the Greek word zeteo, which means to seek. However, it was also used to depict a person who is so upset about not getting what he wanted that he turns to the court system to sue or to demand what he is striving to obtain. Instead of taking no for an answer, this person is so intent on getting his own way that he will search, seek, and investigate, never giving up in his pursuit to get what he wants. In fact, he’s so bent on getting his way that he’ll twist the facts; look for loopholes; put words in other people’s mouths; try to hold others accountable for promises they never made; leap on administrative mistakes as opportunities to twist someone’s arm; or seek various other methods to turn situations to his benefit. This is manipulation.

The point Paul makes here is that love is not scheming or manipulating, for this kind of behavior is dishonest and untruthful. Scheming and manipulating to get your own way is simply wrong! If you can’t honestly state what you think or what you want, then don’t say or do anything. Speaking half-truths and white lies or operating according to a secret agenda is not the way that agape love behaves.

The Greek words in this text could be understood to mean:

“…Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage.…”

After making this point, Paul then lists the eighth characteristic of agape love. He tells us that love “…is not easily provoke..."

The Greek text has the word paroxsuno for the word “provoked.” It is a compound of para, meaning alongside, and oxsus, which means to poke, to prick, or to stick, as with a sharpened instrument. When compounded together, the new word portrays someone who comes alongside another and then begins to poke, prick, or stick that other person with some type of sharpened instrument. He continues to pick, poke, and stick until the victim becomes provoked. He’s finally had enough of this person’s relentless actions of picking, poking, and sticking, so he responds by violently and aggressively assaulting the offender. The result is a fight — a conflict of the most serious order.

Paul goes on to  lists his ninth point about love, telling us that agape love “…thinketh no evil.” The Greek word for “thinketh” is logidzomai, which was an accounting term that would be better translated to count or to reckon. It literally meant to credit to someone’s account.

This is certainly not the way love behaves! If you want to know how love behaves, look at the behavior of God toward you. Although God could drag up your past before you all the time, He doesn’t do that! In fact, after He forgave you (Psalm 103:3), God decided He wouldn’t deal with you according to your sins or reward you according to your iniquities (Psalm 103:10). Although He could remember your past mistakes if He chose to do so, God doesn’t and never will choose to remember them.

Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” This means that God doesn’t keep records of your past forgiven sins! Once they are under the blood of Jesus, God separates them from you forever.

You see, that is how real agape love behaves. So if you are ever tempted to keep mental records of wrongs someone has done to you, be aware that you’re not giving to that person the same mercy God has given to you. Someone who has been forgiven as much as you have been forgiven has no right to keep a record of someone else’s mistakes!

Paul’s words “thinketh no evil” should actually be translated:

“…Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes.”

Is there anyone you are holding hostage in your mind because of what you deemed to be an inappropriate action taken against you? If that person did wrong, it’s right for you to confront him in love. But once you have dealt with the matter, you need to release the offense and let it go — just as Jesus has released you from your past and is believing that you are now on the right track!

If you have a hard time releasing people from their past wrongs, it’s a sign that you need agape to be released in your life. The fact that you’re flipping back to that old record of wrongs again and again — bringing up past grievances that should have been forgiven and forgotten — means you are not perfected in love! Throw that diary away! Didn’t God throw away His diary about YOUR past?

When all these Greek words and phrases are translated together, an expanded interpretive translation could read:

“…Love doesn’t manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage; love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response; love doesn’t deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes.." . Praise God.

|| Prayer for Today||
Precious Father , I ask You to help me put an end to any scheming or manipulating tendencies that still reside in my soul. I know that this is very grievous to You and damaging to my relationships. I repent for participating in this evil behavior, and I ask You to help me be honest in all my dealings with other people. Help me to curb my anger, hold my tongue, and refrain from speaking words that bring harm. Thank You for forgiving me for past sins. Today I am making a decision to wipe the slate clean regarding anyone who has ever acted unjustly or unfairly with me.

||Daily Faith Proclamation||
I declear today in the Name of the Lord Jesus, that I don’t try to manipulate situations or look for ways to scheme to get what I want. I don’t deceptively twist situations to my advantage, nor do I deliberately engage in actions or speak words that cause an ugly or violent response! I have been forgiven much; therefore, I quickly forgive others, never keeping a record of others’ wrongs, sins, or mistakes in the Name of the Lord Jesus! God is doing a mighty work in me, and every day I am becoming more and more just like Him in character, behaviour and attitude.
Thank you Father, I am so greatful today Lord! Hallelujah to your Name, Amen!

||Thought For Today||
■Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes
■Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage.
■ Never hold anyone hostage in your mind, forgive and let go.

■■■Further Study■■■
Isaiah 43:25-26;Hebrew 10:17; Daniel 9:9; Matthew 6:14-15.

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