Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
“Charity does not behave herself unseemly”
1Corinthians 13:5a
One of the qualities of the love of God when it is put into action is common decency and courtesy. God’s love will restrict our words and deeds to the domain of what is honorable. A person with the love of God living through them may be ignorant as to certain standards of etiquette in higher social circles, but men of good will, regardless of their social standing, will always acknowledge and respect the cleanliness and courtesy that the Spirit teaches us to demonstrate.
Even fools, or most of them, respond favorably to a respectful, courteous attitude. No nation in the history of the earth has ever passed laws forbidding clean, humble manners. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul wrote, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law.”
So, even though a child of God walking in God’s love may by some chance transgress one code or another of social etiquette, he will never behave himself in an indecent, disgraceful manner when he does so. He is not arrogant or careless about proper conduct. And if he is ever reproved by someone for transgressing some code of expected conduct, he still does not behave himself dishonorably because he receives correction gladly and humbly.
In order to behave in an honorable manner, we only need to walk in the love that “is shed abroad into our hearts by the holy Ghost”. Doing that, we can never sin, and never behave in a manner that is “unseemly”.