Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8 (NIV)
Lori Wildenberg, my guest blogger today, is co-founder of 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting and the co-author of 3 parenting books!
Love. God is love. Love is who God is.
What does that mean?
Have you ever studied 1 Corinthians 13? This passage gives us insight into how God loves us and how we are to love others.
The LOVE chapter is often read at weddings and then forgotten about.
But… what if we lived and loved the 1 Corinthians 13 way?
With patience and kindness, without envy, boasting or pride? What if we stopped being selfish, easily angered, or resentful?
Wouldn’t it be great if we did not delight in evil but rejoiced with the truth?
What if we demonstrated the qualities of protection, trust, hope, and perseverance in our lives?
Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could parent in this way? Being parents who love like God loves and training children to love in the same way?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
When my kids were younger, I would use 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as a training tool but I didn’t use it in the best way. It became more of a tool for discipline then a way to parent.
If one of my kids was unkind to another I would have them take this verse, ”Love is kind” and write down ways to be kind to the sibling.
The idea isn’t an awful one. It is practical. But it is short-sighted. Now I realize it focused more on behavior than creating a heart change.
Parenting is more than getting our kids to behave well; it is about developing their character. Developing kindness, patience, contentment and humility.
I want to love like God loves. I hope to grow those traits in myself and encourage them in my children.
First Corinthians 13 contains 15 different attributes of love. My co-author, Becky Danielson and I have written two books focused on living and raising kids with these attributes; one book for parents of toddlers to nine-years-old (Raising Little Kids with BIG Love) and one for parents of tweens to young adults (Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love). These books were recently published and can be found on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble.
This month we are launching our book series and sharing the LOVE by offering over $400 worth of prizes. To be eligible for the free gifts – books, jewelry, or parent coaching – leave a comment here or on any 1Corinthians13Parenting. post during the month of February.
thank you! The part about some of our parenting habits being short-sighted really spoke to me…seeking the “heart change” type of parenting you referenced and praying for guidance in that today!
Being a grandma now of 3 “fantabulous” grandchildren, I have lived how “our parenting habits being short-sighted” happens. Now, with my grands, I too want to see “heart change” for them. Looking forward to reading your books as I realize that a grandparent, especially one who has a lot of influence on their grandchildren, needs to enforce of reinforce godly “upbringing.” I need to read Raising Little Kids with Big Love for this season of my life. I am encouraged to do a study on 1 Corinthians 13.
Thank you so much for your service to the Lord,
Mema Jeanne
Kids in this world we live in is so different, with influenced by technology and a world that things are at the palm of their hands. As a parent, I try to find methods that will work in molding & shaping my toddler’s heart, mind, body and soul to become a ‘whole’ person. To be loving, kind and understanding. This post truly brings home the fact that we need to be more loving and balanced in our parenting methods. Thank you! Blessings!