“Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth.”1
We are more than halfway through our
series about the kind of love that’s talked about in 1 Corinthians 13. This is
God’s love. Through the description of love in verses 4-8, we see the perfect
and unconditional love God has for us. His love is like a beautiful, flawless
diamond which shines brighter through every point. One facet of this diamond
(God’s love) is that it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
In the beginning, man was made in the
likeness and image of God, but that image became stained with sin when man
chose to disobey God. This disobedience resulted in a sinful nature which we inherited.
This sinful nature has the tendency to delight in evil and lean away from truth,
which is the opposite of what God’s love is and does. This is exactly why Jesus
came to die on the cross. Because it is only through Him that we can be
cleansed of this sin and once again be made new in the image of Christ. In
Christ we come to not only know truth but are able to rejoice in
this truth. It is through the strength we find in Christ that we are able to
resist the devil and despise evil or unrighteousness.
Every day we are confronted with the
choice to delight in evil or rejoice in the truth. The ability to choose truth
will come much easier when we are grounded in the Word of God and daily submit
to His will. Then we are able to, not only rejoice or celebrate our victories,
but also the victories of others as they choose truth, justice, and
righteousness based in Christ.
Truth is a facet of God’s love which
is pure and unconditional. The more truth prevails in our lives, the more God’s
love will grow in us and shine to those around us.
Suggested prayer: Dear God, teach me
your ways and lead me in your truth. My desire is to know Your truth more every
day and rejoice in it. Thank you that, in
Jesus, I am made new and the sinful nature I had inherited is a thing of the
past. I am overwhelmed by the mercy, grace, and love you have bestowed upon me.
Help me love you and love others more each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 Corinthians 13:6 (NIV).