1 Corinthians 13 For Women

If I live in a house that is spotless, perfectly in order,

and people are not free to LIVE

because my home is more important than my family

I have not love,

I have kept a house

I have not made a home.

If I spend an exorbitant amount of money on decorations

and care more about the appearance of my house

than the atmosphere of my home

I have not love,

and my children learn materialism, not godliness.

If I control my husband

responding in irritation to him,

finding only fault in him

and not seeking to build him up,

I have not love,

and my children learn to disrespect their father,

not to honor him.

Love is patient - seeking to avoid conflict

Love it kind - seeking to be a blessing.

Love lays aside it's "rights" to serve.

Love sees the comfort of another as more important than its own.

Love continually looks for ways to build up,

Love is not critical, demanding or self seeking.

Love accepts the role that God has given

and sees it as a privilege, not a put down.

Love studies how to fulfill that role

in the most God glorifying way it can.

Before I was an adult I thought life revolved around me.

Then I took on the responsibilities of marriage.

Now I see that life revolves around others

and God's glory!

All the expectations I had for my marriage

and my life

must fade away into insignificance.

What should remain is the gospel!

The gospel reminds me of how full of grace and mercy God has been,

how full of grace and mercy I need to be,

and that I need to offer up my life

as a living sacrifice.

Now there abides in my home a husband and children,

and I am called to point them to Jesus

in all that I do,

I could seek to have my own way and my own comfort,

But the greatest thing of all

The most important thing

is love...

The love of God that I show them each day

a love the I am unable to show

unless He loves THROUGH me!