What the heck does it mean when you read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and you get to the part where it says love does not boast?
From Merriam-Webster online, boast means:
- a statement expressing excessive pride in oneself
- to praise oneself extravagantly in speech :
- speak of oneself with excessive pride
- to speak of or assert with excessive pride
- to possess and often call attention to (something that is a source of pride
There are two things that were obvious to me, one when boasts, they are thinking of themselves and it is all about pride.
When you love someone, it is not about you, but about the other person. It is not about being right or being in charge, but about the two of you working things out. Also, you are to treat your spouse with respect. Furthermore, you do not disregard their thoughts, feelings, needs, ideas, who they are as a person, etc. Next, when you love another, not is not all talk, but actually involves some kind of action. Finally, you spouse needs to be able to depend on you for support. This means you need to be trustworthy, dependable, loyal, steadfast, present, etc., not fickle, moody, unpredictable, undependable, off in another world, etc.
Does your love involve boasting? If so, you need to do a deep search within yourself and ask the question why? Do you want to be this way? If the answer is no, then you know what you need to do, and that is to go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him for help.