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哥林多前书：13:4-7: 4爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈；爱是不嫉妒，爱是不自夸，不张狂，5不作害羞的事，不求自己的益处，不轻易发怒，不计算人的恶，6不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理； 7凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。
爱是“又有恩慈”，这些话也许翻译成“爱有恩慈的行为”更好。为什么？因为爱不只是一种感受或情绪。从圣经的角度来说，爱的概念往往是和行为联系在一起的。我可以说我爱我的妻子，但如果我没有积极的做一些事情来体现这种爱，她又怎么知道我爱她呢？仁慈的行为是我们展示出彼此相爱的一种方式。
有一次，当我为一对夫妇提供婚姻咨询时，我先从药店买了60个空的药丸胶囊(我买的时候花了好一会儿时间才向店员解释清楚)。我在每个胶囊里装了一个小纸条，描述了一个具体的仁慈的行为。两个人都得到了一个瓶子，里面各装了30个“幸福胶囊”；我要求他们每天拿出一个来，照着上面的内容为另一半去做。这样做的目的是让他们每天至少有一次机会，可以有意识的来善待彼此。现在他们每天都盼望着这个机会，能让他们彼此之间有意识的去给与和接受。
我在这里想强调的是，仁慈的行为不一定非得是“自发的”才能是真诚的。有时候仔细规划和实施一件仁慈的行为需要更多的爱，与收拾碗筷和清理浴室这种自发出现的行善机会相比，仔细的去规划和实施一件仁慈的行为需要更多的爱。但令人惊讶的是，我们非常容易忘记这一点！还有一种方式能使我们的仁慈行为变的有意识，就是每天早晨在你的待办事项清单上写三件事。这能让你养成一个良好的习惯，去思考如何实施仁慈的行为。而这个习惯本身就是一种爱的行为。
但没有人比耶稣更仁慈。他医治有病的人。他和孩子一起玩耍。他出现在葬礼上，他使死人复活，将葬礼变为一场喜乐的聚会。他喂饱饥饿的人。当然，最重要的是，他代替我们上了十字架。他当然是有意识的去做这些，特别是最后这件事情。圣经上说，耶稣“因那摆在前面的喜乐，就忍受了十字架的苦难”（希伯来书12:2）。他教导我们仁慈的行为也会为我们自己的心带来喜乐。 祷告：主耶稣，请赐给我一颗仁慈的爱心，让我体会到付出比得到更喜乐。让我更多留意我身边的人，特别是那些需要帮助的和受伤的人，如此我每天都能找到机会反映出你对我无私的爱。阿们。
1 Corinthians 13: 4 Love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. It does not brag. It is not arrogant. 5 It does not behave indecently. It is not selfish. It is not irritable. It does not keep a record of wrongs. 6 It does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (EHV)
Maybe a better translation for these words would be, “Love acts kindly.” Why? Because love is more than a feeling or an emotion. The concept of love in the Biblical sense is always tied with action. I can SAY that I love my wife, but if I don’t actively do the things that demonstrate that love, how will she know that I love her? An act of kindness is a way in which we can demonstrate our love for one another.
Once when I counseled a couple about their marriage, I got 60 empty pill capsules from the drug store (which took me a while to explain). I put a tiny script in each one describing a specific act of kindness. Both got a bottle of thirty “happy pills,” and were prescribed to take one each day and do it for their spouse. It was designed to get them to intentionally be kind to each other at least once each day. It became something each looked forward to giving and receiving every day.
The point I want to make is that acts of kindness don’t have to be “spontaneous” in order to be genuine. Sometimes it takes more love (activity!) to plan and execute an act of kindness than it does to just put away the dishes or clean the bathroom when the opportunity arises. It’s amazing how easily we forget! Another way to make acts of kinds intentional is to put three things on your to-do list every morning. It gets you into the habit of THINKING about acting kindly, which is an act of love all by itself.
No one was kinder than Jesus. He healed the sick. He played with children. He showed up at funerals (and turned them into parties). He fed the hungry. And most importantly, of course, is that he took our place on the cross. He did the last INTENTIONALLY. The Bible says that Jesus “for the joy set before him endured the cross” (Hebrews 12:2). He taught us that acts of kindness bring joy to our own hearts as well.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me a kind and loving heart that finds more joy in giving than in receiving. Make me aware of those around me, especially the needy and hurting, so that I might find opportunities daily to reflect your selfless love for me. Amen.