The apostle next pointed out the qualities of love that make it so important. He described these in relationship to a person's character that love rules. We see them most clearly in God and in Christ but also in the life of anyone in whose heart God's love reigns.
13:4a Patience and kindness like love are aspects of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). The first characteristic is love's passive response and the second its active initiative. Patience and kindness mark God, Christ, and truly Christian behavior.
13:4b-5 Paul followed the two positive expressions of love with seven verbs that indicate how it does not behave. The first five of these marked the Corinthians, as we have seen. They were envious (cf. 3:3; 4:18), boastful (ostentatious; 3:18; 8:2; 14:37), proud (4:6, 18-19; 5:2; 8:1), rude (7:36; 11:2-16) and self-seeking (10:24, 33). Their behavior was not loving. Love does not deal with other people in a way that injures their dignity. It does not insist on having its own way, nor does it put its own interests before the needs of others (cf. Phil. 2:4). It is not irritable or touchy, but it absorbs offenses, insults, and inconveniences for the sake of others' welfare. It does not keep a record of offenses received to pay them back (cf. Luke 23:34; Rom. 12:17-21; 2 Cor. 5:19).
"One of the great arts in life is to learn what to forget."303
In the last two characteristics Paul moved beyond what this letter reveals marked the Corinthians.
13:6 Love takes no delight in evil or the misfortunes of others, but it takes great pleasure in what is right.
"Love cannot share the glee of the successful transgressor."304
"Love absolutely rejects that most pernicious form of rejoicing over evil, gossiping about the misdeeds of others; it is not gladdened when someone else falls. Love stands on the side of the gospel and looks for mercy and justice for all, including those with whom one disagrees."305
"Christian love has no wish to veil the truth; it is brave enough to face the truth; it has nothing to conceal and so is glad when the truth prevails."306
13:7 Love covers unworthy things rather than bringing them to the light and magnifying them. It puts up with everything. It is always eager to believe the best and to "put the most favorable construction on ambiguous actions."307
"This does not mean . . . that a Christian is to allow himself to be fooled by every rogue, or to pretend that he believes that white is black. But in doubtful cases he will prefer being too generous in his conclusions to suspecting another unjustly."308
It is hopeful that those who have failed will not fail again rather than concluding that failure is inevitable (cf. Matt. 18:22). It does not allow itself to become overwhelmed but perseveres steadfastly through difficult trials.
