November 5, 2025 • 25 mins
What does love in real life actually look like? In this heartfelt episode, Ashley unpacks 1 Corinthians 13 and reminds us that love isn’t just a verse — it’s how we live. From patience in the everyday to kindness when no one’s watching, this episode will leave you encouraged to show love that lasts.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
Y'all ever notice how people talk about love like
it's easy?
Like we can just wake up onemorning and sprinkle a little
kindness around and boom, heartsand harmony everywhere.
But love's not like that.
Not the kind Paul was talkingabout.
It's not the soft music in thecandlelight.
(00:21):
It's patience when you'vealready run out of it.
It's grace when other peoplehaven't earned it.
It's forgiveness when nobodyeven said, I'm sorry.
We like to quote 1 Corinthians13 like it's a wedding verse,
but Paul wasn't writing this toa bride holding flowers.
(00:42):
He was writing it to a bunch ofchurch folks who couldn't even
get along.
They were arguing, complaining,comparing, showing off,
basically acting like modern dayFacebook comment section.
Whoop, don't go there.
And Paul was like, y'all, youare missing the point.
You can speak in tongues,preach, serve, post, and sing.
(01:07):
But if love's not behind it,it's just noise.
Now that hits differently,doesn't it?
Because we've all been noisybefore.
I know I have.
I've said the right thing withthe wrong tone.
I've done the right thing withthe wrong heart and expected
people to see love when what Iwas really showing was pride,
(01:30):
just dressed up pretty.
Love isn't about looking nice,it's about letting God shape you
into someone who stays kind evenwhen life is not kind back.
And sometimes, y'all, love justplain hurts.
It stretches you, it humblesyou, it makes you see parts of
(01:51):
yourself that are not as patientand gentle or as forgiving as
you thought.
And that's when it gets real.
That's the kind of love thatchanges families, it softens
hearts, and it keeps marriagesstanding and together when life
is heavy.
That's the kind of love thatlooks a lot like Jesus.
(02:14):
So that's where we're headingout to today.
Not into fluffy love or fairytale love, but the kind that
shows up in real life.
Love that doesn't give up.
Love that's not about feelings,but about faithfulness.
Love that still chooses peoplewhen they're hard to choose.
(02:36):
Y'all ready?
Now let's talk about that kindof love.
Hey y'all, welcome back toUnscripted Conversations.
I'm Ashley from Virginia.
And if you're new here, this iswhere we talk about real life.
The kind that doesn't always goaccording to plan, but somehow
works out under God's grace.
(02:57):
And if you've been here for awhile, y'all know we don't do
perfect around here.
We talk about the parts of lifethat stretch us, teach us, and
sometimes flat out wear us out.
And how faith fits right intothe middle of it.
This season we've been digginginto what it really means to
live out the word, not justreading it, but actually walking
(03:20):
it out day by day.
And today we're getting into oneof the hardest things to live:
love.
Not the easy kind, not thehallmark movie kind, but the
kind that requires somethingfrom you.
The kind that takes humility,patience, and a whole lot of
grace sometimes.
So settle in, get comfy, breathefor a minute, and let's just
(03:44):
talk.
No walls, no fancy words, justhonest conversation about what
it looks like to love in reallife.
Lord, I just thank you for thistime together.
Quiet my thoughts and my wordsand let yours come through
instead.
If there's something that needsto be said today, let it be
yours, not mine.
Help me to speak with honesty,grace, and truth, and let
(04:08):
whoever's listening hear exactlywhat you want them to.
In Jesus' mighty name, amen.
All right, y'all.
You know, I've read 1Corinthians 13 more times than I
can count.
I've even got it hanging on mywall in the living room.
But these first few versesalways stop me right in my
(04:30):
tracks.
Paul says, if I could speak allthe languages of the earth and
of angels, but didn't loveothers, I would only be a noisy
gong or clinging symbol.
Every time I read that, I think,how many times have I sounded
like that?
How many times have I been doingthe right thing on the outside,
(04:53):
saying the right words, beingpolite, checking off all the
boxes, but my heart was just notin it.
We've all been there.
And I know, I know you areliterally nodding and smiling
right now.
You know, you've been there.
But on the inside, you'rethinking, Lord help me not roll
my eyes right now.
(05:13):
You're serving, but secretlywishing someone would notice.
You're praying for someone, butyou're also still mad at them.
And Paul is saying that kind oflove, where air quotes, love,
doesn't ring true.
It's just noise.
Pretty noise at that, but it'sstill noise.
I think about it like this (05:33):
you can do all the right Christian
things.
Go to church, sing in the choir,quote scripture, share
devotionals, even on socialmedia, Facebook.
But if love isn't the reasonbehind it, it's just a
performance.
And God's not impressed byperformances.
He is after your heart.
(05:54):
Now, I'll be the first to admit,I've had seasons where I was
busy doing good things.
Y'all know that was air quotesright there, but missing the God
things.
It looked like love, but itwasn't coming from love.
It was coming from guilt orhabit or people pleasing,
keeping up with the Jones,right?
(06:16):
And that's what Paul was warningabout.
He's basically saying, you cando all the right stuff and still
miss the point if love isn'twhat's behind it, if love isn't
what is driving it.
Love's not talent, it's not aplatform or a spotlight moment.
It's the quiet, everydaydecision to show mercy when
(06:38):
you'd rather stay mad, like bigmad.
When Paul said, love is patient,love is kind.
I don't think he meant like acute wall sign from Hobby Lobby.
Literally, literally on my wall.
It's so cute.
It's so pretty.
But I try to live it.
And he meant it like this isgoing to take work.
(07:01):
It's going to take intention.
It's going to take you dependingon God instead of your mood.
I mean, let's start with love ispatient.
Patience isn't just waitingwithout complaining, it's about
how you act while you'rewaiting.
And that one gets me everysingle time.
Because Lord knows I can getimpatient, real impatient, like
(07:25):
real, real, real fast.
If I'm in a hurry and someone'smoving slow, especially driving,
oh my gosh, going to work,whether it's in the morning or
back from lunch or leaving work,whether it's in the evening or
lunchtime.
Oh my goodness, that is when mytrue colors show.
(07:46):
I'm like, push that longrectangular thing, make it go.
You're going 10 or 15 milesunder the speed limit.
Okay, stop.
I digress.
Okay, so like I said, it'spatience is how you act while
you're waiting.
If I'm in a hurry and someone'smoving slow, I literally start
(08:08):
sighing, tapping my foot, doingthat little fake smile that
hides the fact that I am soaggravated.
And then I hear that littlevoice in my spirit saying,
Ashley, that's not love.
I know, I know, I know.
Love waits with grace.
It gives people room to grow andit doesn't keep a stopwatch on
(08:32):
their progress.
Have you ever noticed how God isso patient with us?
I mean, we mess up all the time.
We forget, we fall short.
And what?
Does he leave us?
No, he keeps showing up.
And if he can do that with me,surely I can do a little bit
better with others.
And then Paul says, love iskind.
(08:54):
Kindness is one of those thingsthat looks small, but it carries
big weight.
It's not just being polite, it'snoticing.
It's saying, Hey, I see you whensomebody feels invisible.
It's holding back a harsh wordwhen you could say it and you
want to say it, but you know itwouldn't help.
(09:17):
Kindness doesn't have to make ascene.
Sometimes it's a simple textthat says, I'm thinking of you.
Or sometimes it's biting yourtongue and choosing quiet over
chaos, or doing something youwon't get credit for and being
totally okay with that.
Then Paul flips the script andstarts listing all the things
(09:39):
love isn't.
He says, it doesn't envy, itdoesn't boast, it's not proud.
And if we're being honest,that's the part we skip over.
Because love gets tested mostwhen our pride gets to truth.
When we see someone else gettingwhat we prayed for, when someone
(10:00):
doesn't even say thank you, whenwe prove a point instead of
protecting peace.
And that's when love asks us thehardest question Do you want to
be right or do you want to belike Jesus?
And that one always stings alittle.
(10:21):
Like I am literally stomping myfeet, throwing my fist down, and
I'm like, suck it up, buttercup.
I want to be like Jesus.
I'm gonna turn the other cheek.
It's hard.
It is hard.
Love doesn't mean that you're adoormat, it means you lay down
your ego.
You choose grace over gettingeven.
(10:43):
It means you see people throughthe eyes of the one who made
them, not the way they act inthe moment.
And y'all, let's be real honest,real quick.
That's hard sometimes.
There are people who make lovein your neighbor feel like a
full-time job with no benefits.
(11:06):
But, but, but, but, but the moreyou practice it, the more peace
and the more free your heartgets.
Because love doesn't change theother person, it changes you.
(11:26):
And then it says, love alwaysprotects, always trusts, always
hopes, and always perseveres.
That right there is love withroots.
Not the kind that comes and goeswith feelings, it's the kind
that stays even when it'suncomfortable.
(11:48):
You know, you know, we talkedabout this last week.
Love that protects isn't abouthovering or fixing everything
for someone.
It's about standing beside themso they don't have to walk
through the storm alone.
It's quiet, steady strength.
When Sam and I went through thathard season, doctor's visits,
(12:10):
long nights, the kind of dayswhere you just run on prayer and
stubborn faith.
I really learned what lovemeant.
There weren't big speeches orhuge romantic gestures.
It was small, simple things,picking up the slack for each
(12:30):
other, taking turns beingstrong.
It was me saying, You rest, I'llhandle it.
And him saying, We got this.
We'll be all right.
That's love that protects.
Not because it's loud, butbecause it shows up.
And somewhere in that kind ofsteady love, trust starts to
(12:55):
grow.
The real kind of trust.
Not the blind kind that ignoresproblems, but the kind that
keeps choosing to believe thebest even when fear wants to
take over.
It's looking at the person Godgave you, whether it's your
spouse, your child, your friend,a relative, and saying, I still
(13:16):
believe God's working in you,even if I can't see it yet.
When you really want to wringtheir neck.
No, I'm just joking.
Yes, I'm I'm not really joking.
I'm not.
People just aggravate you.
They aggravate you, they pluckyour nerves, they drive you
crazy, they push your button.
It's like they learn how to pushyour buttons.
But we keep it together.
(13:41):
We choose real love.
And we have to keep tellingourselves, I still believe God
is working in you.
Even though I clearly cannot seeit yet.
It's happening.
God's trying.
God's doing it.
And that's not easy.
(14:01):
Trust is fragile sometimes.
When you give grace instead ofsuspicion, or you choose faith
instead of doubt, somethingchanges.
Love grows deeper roots withinyou.
And those roots, that's wherehope lives.
Hope is the thing that makes youkeep getting up every morning
(14:22):
when life hasn't changed yet.
It's the part of love thatwhispers, keep going.
This isn't the end.
Hope is what keeps a mamapraying for her prodigal son.
It's what keeps a couplerebuilding after the world said
it was over.
It's what keeps you believingthat healing and peace are still
(14:45):
possible.
And when love has hope likethat, it learns how to
persevere.
And perseverance is notdramatic.
It is faithful.
It's the kind of love thatdoesn't quit just because it's
tired.
It's not about pretendingeverything's fine.
It's about knowing God's stillin it, even when you cannot see
(15:07):
the progress.
We've talked about this.
The waiting, the waiting room,outside, walking in the hallway.
We know God has us.
He has a plan.
We just have to trust it, eventhough we can't see it.
That kind of love, the kind thatprotects, trusts, hopes, and
(15:28):
perseveres, that's not natural.
It's actually super natural.
It's the love that comes fromknowing how deeply you've been
loved.
Because God's been doing it forus all along.
He protects us when we don'teven realize it.
He keeps trusting us with newbeginnings, even when we messed
(15:49):
up the last five he's given us.
He keeps hoping for our heartsto come home.
He never, ever, ever gives up onus.
That's the kind of love Paul wastalking about.
Not a fluffy, sentimental love,but a gritty, endearing,
God-shaped love that holds wheneverything else falls apart.
(16:12):
And then as this chapter closes,it says, and these three remain
faith, hope, and love.
But the greatest of these islove.
I've read that verse my wholelife.
But the older I get, the more Iunderstand what Paul meant.
(16:35):
I also want to say every time Ihear that verse, read that
verse, anything.
I think about Alan Jackson.
If you know, you know, lovey'all.
Faith gets us through thevalleys.
Hope keeps us moving towardssomething better.
But love, love is what makes itall worth it.
(16:55):
Faith and hope are powerful, butthey're temporary.
When we finally get to seeJesus' face to face, we won't
need faith anymore.
We'll see what we believed for.
We won't need hope anymore.
We'll have what we were hopingfor.
But love, that's forever.
(17:16):
Love is the thread that runsthrough everything God's ever
done.
It's the reason he created us,the reason he forgives us a
bazillion times.
He sent Jesus to walk among usto show us what love with skin
on looks like.
(17:39):
Wow, let that sink in.
And when we live from thatplace, when our words, our
choices, our relationships allstart flowing from love, we stop
performing faith and startliving it.
And that's what this wholechapter is about.
(18:00):
It's not a list of rules, it'snot a personality checklist for
good Christians.
It's a reminder that no matterhow gifted, how wise, how
accomplished we become, it meansnothing if love is not behind
it.
I think of it like this.
(18:20):
Okay, so faith builds the house,hope decorates it, but love is
what makes it feel like a home.
Love is the warmth in the room.
It's the light left on forsomebody coming home late.
It's what makes all other piecesmatter.
So if you take anything fromthis conversation today, let it
(18:43):
be this.
Love isn't just something wesay, it's something we live.
It's the way we speak to people,it's how we forgive.
It's what we choose to rememberand what we choose to let go of.
And the more we let God teach ushow to love like that, the more
(19:04):
peaceful life gets.
Not easier now, no, butpeaceful.
Because love clears the noise,it brings the focus, and it
helps you see what's reallyworth holding on to.
And I think that's what Paul wastrying to get across.
That love is a thing that neverruns out, it never expires, it
(19:27):
never stops working.
It is literally the heartbeat ofheaven.
And the more we live it, themore we reflect him.
And you know, no matter whatyou've heard me say in the past,
love your enemies, but sometimesdo it from a distance.
(19:48):
You don't have to let everybodyback in to prove your heart's
right.
Forgiveness doesn't always meanaccess, but it does mean keeping
your heart soft enough for Godto keep working through it.
We've got to strive to letpeople see God shining through
us.
Not just when we've got ourSunday best on, but in the
(20:11):
quiet, ordinary moments thatnobody claps for.
They should see him in the wordswe say, in the way we treat
people, and most all in what wedo when nobody's around to
notice.
That's where our faith trulyshows its roots.
Do we turn our head to gossipbecause it's easier than
(20:35):
speaking up, or do we jump in?
Do we walk right past someonestruggling because we're in a
hurry?
Do we notice that mama at thegrocery store telling her child
no to a snack because she'scounting dollars to make sure
there's enough left for bread?
Those are the moments where lovegets real, where we decide if
(20:56):
it's something we say orsomething we live.
Because loving in real life isway more than a quote or a verse
on a wall.
It is cute, though.
It's the quiet, humble yes toletting God's love work through
you, even when it costssomething.
And y'all, that's the kind oflove that changes the world one
(21:21):
scene, act at a time.
I really tell you, everybody inthe world would get along if you
just love each other.
Just love each other.
Everybody.
It doesn't matter what yourthoughts and opinions are, what
you believe, what you think,what you back, where you come
(21:42):
from.
It does not matter.
God put us all on this earth tolove each other.
It doesn't matter what countryyou're from, it doesn't matter
if you look different, itdoesn't matter who you think
should be running thegovernment.
It does not matter.
You love each other.
(22:04):
Love each other, and there wouldbe no more violence in this
world.
I'm getting off my soapbox now.
Father, thank you for remindingus tonight what real love looks
like.
Not the polished version, notthe kind that's easy when
everything's going right, butthe kind that bends and breaks
(22:27):
and still chooses to believe.
Lord, teach us to love when it'sinconvenient, when it's hard,
when it hurts.
Teach us to love when our heartsare tired, when words come
sharp, and when forgivenessfeels bigger than what we can
stand.
Help us to see people the wayyou see them, past the attitude,
(22:50):
past the mistakes, past thewalls they've built to hide the
hurt.
And for the ones who've hurt us,give us the peace to release
them and the wisdom to love themfrom a distance that protects
the healing you're working inus.
Remind us, Lord, that love isn'tproven by what we say.
(23:12):
It's shown in how we live.
It's the quiet choices we makewhen no one's watching, but you
always are.
It's how we show up for peoplewho can't give us anything back
in return.
It's the small mercies, theunseen kindness, the gentle
words that echo your heart.
(23:34):
Soften us, God.
Make us vessels of your love,the steady, the patient,
selfless kind.
And when this world feels coldor cruel, let your light shine
through us, even if it's just aflicker.
Let it burn bright enough forsomeone else to see you.
Thank you for loving us firstand for never giving up on us.
(23:58):
Let our lives be proofs of thatlove.
Real, messy, faithful, and true.
In Jesus' precious name, amen.
If this message met you rightwhere you are tonight, take it
as a reminder.
God's still working in you.
You don't have to have it allfigured out.
(24:18):
You just have to keep showing upand letting him shape your heart
one day at a time.
And maybe this week, look forone quiet way to love someone a
little bit better.
Hold the door, send a text,offer a prayer, give grace, let
that love flow out of you sosomebody else can see him a
(24:39):
little bit clearer because it.
Thank you for spending part ofyour day with me here on
Unscripted Conversations.
I pray you walk away feeling alittle bit lighter, a little bit
stronger, and a whole lot morereminded that love, real love,
still works.
And if you like this message, orif you know somebody that needs
(25:00):
to hear it or could benefit fromit, share it to them, spread it
around, leave me a review.
I appreciate you more than youwill ever know.
So until next week, thanks,y'all.
Y'all ever notice how people talk about love like
it's easy?
Like we can just wake up onemorning and sprinkle a little
kindness around and boom, heartsand harmony everywhere.
But love's not like that.
Not the kind Paul was talkingabout.
It's not the soft music in thecandlelight.
(00:21):
It's patience when you'vealready run out of it.
It's grace when other peoplehaven't earned it.
It's forgiveness when nobodyeven said, I'm sorry.
We like to quote 1 Corinthians13 like it's a wedding verse,
but Paul wasn't writing this toa bride holding flowers.
(00:42):
He was writing it to a bunch ofchurch folks who couldn't even
get along.
They were arguing, complaining,comparing, showing off,
basically acting like modern dayFacebook comment section.
Whoop, don't go there.
And Paul was like, y'all, youare missing the point.
You can speak in tongues,preach, serve, post, and sing.
(01:07):
But if love's not behind it,it's just noise.
Now that hits differently,doesn't it?
Because we've all been noisybefore.
I know I have.
I've said the right thing withthe wrong tone.
I've done the right thing withthe wrong heart and expected
people to see love when what Iwas really showing was pride,
(01:30):
just dressed up pretty.
Love isn't about looking nice,it's about letting God shape you
into someone who stays kind evenwhen life is not kind back.
And sometimes, y'all, love justplain hurts.
It stretches you, it humblesyou, it makes you see parts of
(01:51):
yourself that are not as patientand gentle or as forgiving as
you thought.
And that's when it gets real.
That's the kind of love thatchanges families, it softens
hearts, and it keeps marriagesstanding and together when life
is heavy.
That's the kind of love thatlooks a lot like Jesus.
(02:14):
So that's where we're headingout to today.
Not into fluffy love or fairytale love, but the kind that
shows up in real life.
Love that doesn't give up.
Love that's not about feelings,but about faithfulness.
Love that still chooses peoplewhen they're hard to choose.
(02:36):
Y'all ready?
Now let's talk about that kindof love.
Hey y'all, welcome back toUnscripted Conversations.
I'm Ashley from Virginia.
And if you're new here, this iswhere we talk about real life.
The kind that doesn't always goaccording to plan, but somehow
works out under God's grace.
(02:57):
And if you've been here for awhile, y'all know we don't do
perfect around here.
We talk about the parts of lifethat stretch us, teach us, and
sometimes flat out wear us out.
And how faith fits right intothe middle of it.
This season we've been digginginto what it really means to
live out the word, not justreading it, but actually walking
(03:20):
it out day by day.
And today we're getting into oneof the hardest things to live:
love.
Not the easy kind, not thehallmark movie kind, but the
kind that requires somethingfrom you.
The kind that takes humility,patience, and a whole lot of
grace sometimes.
So settle in, get comfy, breathefor a minute, and let's just
(03:44):
talk.
No walls, no fancy words, justhonest conversation about what
it looks like to love in reallife.
Lord, I just thank you for thistime together.
Quiet my thoughts and my wordsand let yours come through
instead.
If there's something that needsto be said today, let it be
yours, not mine.
Help me to speak with honesty,grace, and truth, and let
(04:08):
whoever's listening hear exactlywhat you want them to.
In Jesus' mighty name, amen.
All right, y'all.
You know, I've read 1Corinthians 13 more times than I
can count.
I've even got it hanging on mywall in the living room.
But these first few versesalways stop me right in my
(04:30):
tracks.
Paul says, if I could speak allthe languages of the earth and
of angels, but didn't loveothers, I would only be a noisy
gong or clinging symbol.
Every time I read that, I think,how many times have I sounded
like that?
How many times have I been doingthe right thing on the outside,
(04:53):
saying the right words, beingpolite, checking off all the
boxes, but my heart was just notin it.
We've all been there.
And I know, I know you areliterally nodding and smiling
right now.
You know, you've been there.
But on the inside, you'rethinking, Lord help me not roll
my eyes right now.
(05:13):
You're serving, but secretlywishing someone would notice.
You're praying for someone, butyou're also still mad at them.
And Paul is saying that kind oflove, where air quotes, love,
doesn't ring true.
It's just noise.
Pretty noise at that, but it'sstill noise.
I think about it like this (05:33):
you can do all the right Christian
things.
Go to church, sing in the choir,quote scripture, share
devotionals, even on socialmedia, Facebook.
But if love isn't the reasonbehind it, it's just a
performance.
And God's not impressed byperformances.
He is after your heart.
(05:54):
Now, I'll be the first to admit,I've had seasons where I was
busy doing good things.
Y'all know that was air quotesright there, but missing the God
things.
It looked like love, but itwasn't coming from love.
It was coming from guilt orhabit or people pleasing,
keeping up with the Jones,right?
(06:16):
And that's what Paul was warningabout.
He's basically saying, you cando all the right stuff and still
miss the point if love isn'twhat's behind it, if love isn't
what is driving it.
Love's not talent, it's not aplatform or a spotlight moment.
It's the quiet, everydaydecision to show mercy when
(06:38):
you'd rather stay mad, like bigmad.
When Paul said, love is patient,love is kind.
I don't think he meant like acute wall sign from Hobby Lobby.
Literally, literally on my wall.
It's so cute.
It's so pretty.
But I try to live it.
And he meant it like this isgoing to take work.
(07:01):
It's going to take intention.
It's going to take you dependingon God instead of your mood.
I mean, let's start with love ispatient.
Patience isn't just waitingwithout complaining, it's about
how you act while you'rewaiting.
And that one gets me everysingle time.
Because Lord knows I can getimpatient, real impatient, like
(07:25):
real, real, real fast.
If I'm in a hurry and someone'smoving slow, especially driving,
oh my gosh, going to work,whether it's in the morning or
back from lunch or leaving work,whether it's in the evening or
lunchtime.
Oh my goodness, that is when mytrue colors show.
(07:46):
I'm like, push that longrectangular thing, make it go.
You're going 10 or 15 milesunder the speed limit.
Okay, stop.
I digress.
Okay, so like I said, it'spatience is how you act while
you're waiting.
If I'm in a hurry and someone'smoving slow, I literally start
(08:08):
sighing, tapping my foot, doingthat little fake smile that
hides the fact that I am soaggravated.
And then I hear that littlevoice in my spirit saying,
Ashley, that's not love.
I know, I know, I know.
Love waits with grace.
It gives people room to grow andit doesn't keep a stopwatch on
(08:32):
their progress.
Have you ever noticed how God isso patient with us?
I mean, we mess up all the time.
We forget, we fall short.
And what?
Does he leave us?
No, he keeps showing up.
And if he can do that with me,surely I can do a little bit
better with others.
And then Paul says, love iskind.
(08:54):
Kindness is one of those thingsthat looks small, but it carries
big weight.
It's not just being polite, it'snoticing.
It's saying, Hey, I see you whensomebody feels invisible.
It's holding back a harsh wordwhen you could say it and you
want to say it, but you know itwouldn't help.
(09:17):
Kindness doesn't have to make ascene.
Sometimes it's a simple textthat says, I'm thinking of you.
Or sometimes it's biting yourtongue and choosing quiet over
chaos, or doing something youwon't get credit for and being
totally okay with that.
Then Paul flips the script andstarts listing all the things
(09:39):
love isn't.
He says, it doesn't envy, itdoesn't boast, it's not proud.
And if we're being honest,that's the part we skip over.
Because love gets tested mostwhen our pride gets to truth.
When we see someone else gettingwhat we prayed for, when someone
(10:00):
doesn't even say thank you, whenwe prove a point instead of
protecting peace.
And that's when love asks us thehardest question Do you want to
be right or do you want to belike Jesus?
And that one always stings alittle.
(10:21):
Like I am literally stomping myfeet, throwing my fist down, and
I'm like, suck it up, buttercup.
I want to be like Jesus.
I'm gonna turn the other cheek.
It's hard.
It is hard.
Love doesn't mean that you're adoormat, it means you lay down
your ego.
You choose grace over gettingeven.
(10:43):
It means you see people throughthe eyes of the one who made
them, not the way they act inthe moment.
And y'all, let's be real honest,real quick.
That's hard sometimes.
There are people who make lovein your neighbor feel like a
full-time job with no benefits.
(11:06):
But, but, but, but, but the moreyou practice it, the more peace
and the more free your heartgets.
Because love doesn't change theother person, it changes you.
(11:26):
And then it says, love alwaysprotects, always trusts, always
hopes, and always perseveres.
That right there is love withroots.
Not the kind that comes and goeswith feelings, it's the kind
that stays even when it'suncomfortable.
(11:48):
You know, you know, we talkedabout this last week.
Love that protects isn't abouthovering or fixing everything
for someone.
It's about standing beside themso they don't have to walk
through the storm alone.
It's quiet, steady strength.
When Sam and I went through thathard season, doctor's visits,
(12:10):
long nights, the kind of dayswhere you just run on prayer and
stubborn faith.
I really learned what lovemeant.
There weren't big speeches orhuge romantic gestures.
It was small, simple things,picking up the slack for each
(12:30):
other, taking turns beingstrong.
It was me saying, You rest, I'llhandle it.
And him saying, We got this.
We'll be all right.
That's love that protects.
Not because it's loud, butbecause it shows up.
And somewhere in that kind ofsteady love, trust starts to
(12:55):
grow.
The real kind of trust.
Not the blind kind that ignoresproblems, but the kind that
keeps choosing to believe thebest even when fear wants to
take over.
It's looking at the person Godgave you, whether it's your
spouse, your child, your friend,a relative, and saying, I still
(13:16):
believe God's working in you,even if I can't see it yet.
When you really want to wringtheir neck.
No, I'm just joking.
Yes, I'm I'm not really joking.
I'm not.
People just aggravate you.
They aggravate you, they pluckyour nerves, they drive you
crazy, they push your button.
It's like they learn how to pushyour buttons.
But we keep it together.
(13:41):
We choose real love.
And we have to keep tellingourselves, I still believe God
is working in you.
Even though I clearly cannot seeit yet.
It's happening.
God's trying.
God's doing it.
And that's not easy.
(14:01):
Trust is fragile sometimes.
When you give grace instead ofsuspicion, or you choose faith
instead of doubt, somethingchanges.
Love grows deeper roots withinyou.
And those roots, that's wherehope lives.
Hope is the thing that makes youkeep getting up every morning
(14:22):
when life hasn't changed yet.
It's the part of love thatwhispers, keep going.
This isn't the end.
Hope is what keeps a mamapraying for her prodigal son.
It's what keeps a couplerebuilding after the world said
it was over.
It's what keeps you believingthat healing and peace are still
(14:45):
possible.
And when love has hope likethat, it learns how to
persevere.
And perseverance is notdramatic.
It is faithful.
It's the kind of love thatdoesn't quit just because it's
tired.
It's not about pretendingeverything's fine.
It's about knowing God's stillin it, even when you cannot see
(15:07):
the progress.
We've talked about this.
The waiting, the waiting room,outside, walking in the hallway.
We know God has us.
He has a plan.
We just have to trust it, eventhough we can't see it.
That kind of love, the kind thatprotects, trusts, hopes, and
(15:28):
perseveres, that's not natural.
It's actually super natural.
It's the love that comes fromknowing how deeply you've been
loved.
Because God's been doing it forus all along.
He protects us when we don'teven realize it.
He keeps trusting us with newbeginnings, even when we messed
(15:49):
up the last five he's given us.
He keeps hoping for our heartsto come home.
He never, ever, ever gives up onus.
That's the kind of love Paul wastalking about.
Not a fluffy, sentimental love,but a gritty, endearing,
God-shaped love that holds wheneverything else falls apart.
(16:12):
And then as this chapter closes,it says, and these three remain
faith, hope, and love.
But the greatest of these islove.
I've read that verse my wholelife.
But the older I get, the more Iunderstand what Paul meant.
(16:35):
I also want to say every time Ihear that verse, read that
verse, anything.
I think about Alan Jackson.
If you know, you know, lovey'all.
Faith gets us through thevalleys.
Hope keeps us moving towardssomething better.
But love, love is what makes itall worth it.
(16:55):
Faith and hope are powerful, butthey're temporary.
When we finally get to seeJesus' face to face, we won't
need faith anymore.
We'll see what we believed for.
We won't need hope anymore.
We'll have what we were hopingfor.
But love, that's forever.
(17:16):
Love is the thread that runsthrough everything God's ever
done.
It's the reason he created us,the reason he forgives us a
bazillion times.
He sent Jesus to walk among usto show us what love with skin
on looks like.
(17:39):
Wow, let that sink in.
And when we live from thatplace, when our words, our
choices, our relationships allstart flowing from love, we stop
performing faith and startliving it.
And that's what this wholechapter is about.
(18:00):
It's not a list of rules, it'snot a personality checklist for
good Christians.
It's a reminder that no matterhow gifted, how wise, how
accomplished we become, it meansnothing if love is not behind
it.
I think of it like this.
(18:20):
Okay, so faith builds the house,hope decorates it, but love is
what makes it feel like a home.
Love is the warmth in the room.
It's the light left on forsomebody coming home late.
It's what makes all other piecesmatter.
So if you take anything fromthis conversation today, let it
(18:43):
be this.
Love isn't just something wesay, it's something we live.
It's the way we speak to people,it's how we forgive.
It's what we choose to rememberand what we choose to let go of.
And the more we let God teach ushow to love like that, the more
(19:04):
peaceful life gets.
Not easier now, no, butpeaceful.
Because love clears the noise,it brings the focus, and it
helps you see what's reallyworth holding on to.
And I think that's what Paul wastrying to get across.
That love is a thing that neverruns out, it never expires, it
(19:27):
never stops working.
It is literally the heartbeat ofheaven.
And the more we live it, themore we reflect him.
And you know, no matter whatyou've heard me say in the past,
love your enemies, but sometimesdo it from a distance.
(19:48):
You don't have to let everybodyback in to prove your heart's
right.
Forgiveness doesn't always meanaccess, but it does mean keeping
your heart soft enough for Godto keep working through it.
We've got to strive to letpeople see God shining through
us.
Not just when we've got ourSunday best on, but in the
(20:11):
quiet, ordinary moments thatnobody claps for.
They should see him in the wordswe say, in the way we treat
people, and most all in what wedo when nobody's around to
notice.
That's where our faith trulyshows its roots.
Do we turn our head to gossipbecause it's easier than
(20:35):
speaking up, or do we jump in?
Do we walk right past someonestruggling because we're in a
hurry?
Do we notice that mama at thegrocery store telling her child
no to a snack because she'scounting dollars to make sure
there's enough left for bread?
Those are the moments where lovegets real, where we decide if
(20:56):
it's something we say orsomething we live.
Because loving in real life isway more than a quote or a verse
on a wall.
It is cute, though.
It's the quiet, humble yes toletting God's love work through
you, even when it costssomething.
And y'all, that's the kind oflove that changes the world one
(21:21):
scene, act at a time.
I really tell you, everybody inthe world would get along if you
just love each other.
Just love each other.
Everybody.
It doesn't matter what yourthoughts and opinions are, what
you believe, what you think,what you back, where you come
(21:42):
from.
It does not matter.
God put us all on this earth tolove each other.
It doesn't matter what countryyou're from, it doesn't matter
if you look different, itdoesn't matter who you think
should be running thegovernment.
It does not matter.
You love each other.
(22:04):
Love each other, and there wouldbe no more violence in this
world.
I'm getting off my soapbox now.
Father, thank you for remindingus tonight what real love looks
like.
Not the polished version, notthe kind that's easy when
everything's going right, butthe kind that bends and breaks
(22:27):
and still chooses to believe.
Lord, teach us to love when it'sinconvenient, when it's hard,
when it hurts.
Teach us to love when our heartsare tired, when words come
sharp, and when forgivenessfeels bigger than what we can
stand.
Help us to see people the wayyou see them, past the attitude,
(22:50):
past the mistakes, past thewalls they've built to hide the
hurt.
And for the ones who've hurt us,give us the peace to release
them and the wisdom to love themfrom a distance that protects
the healing you're working inus.
Remind us, Lord, that love isn'tproven by what we say.
(23:12):
It's shown in how we live.
It's the quiet choices we makewhen no one's watching, but you
always are.
It's how we show up for peoplewho can't give us anything back
in return.
It's the small mercies, theunseen kindness, the gentle
words that echo your heart.
(23:34):
Soften us, God.
Make us vessels of your love,the steady, the patient,
selfless kind.
And when this world feels coldor cruel, let your light shine
through us, even if it's just aflicker.
Let it burn bright enough forsomeone else to see you.
Thank you for loving us firstand for never giving up on us.
(23:58):
Let our lives be proofs of thatlove.
Real, messy, faithful, and true.
In Jesus' precious name, amen.
If this message met you rightwhere you are tonight, take it
as a reminder.
God's still working in you.
You don't have to have it allfigured out.
(24:18):
You just have to keep showing upand letting him shape your heart
one day at a time.
And maybe this week, look forone quiet way to love someone a
little bit better.
Hold the door, send a text,offer a prayer, give grace, let
that love flow out of you sosomebody else can see him a
(24:39):
little bit clearer because it.
Thank you for spending part ofyour day with me here on
Unscripted Conversations.
I pray you walk away feeling alittle bit lighter, a little bit
stronger, and a whole lot morereminded that love, real love,
still works.
And if you like this message, orif you know somebody that needs
(25:00):
to hear it or could benefit fromit, share it to them, spread it
around, leave me a review.
I appreciate you more than youwill ever know.
So until next week, thanks,y'all.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal: Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.