音频：
视频：
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。
“不做害羞的事”，我查了希腊文字典，想弄明白这个词的确切含义。这里是字典给出的定义：“行为不端，行为不当，举止粗鲁，行为卑鄙，行为不光彩。”通常与性方面的言行有关。
我们生活在一种文化中，一方面，对与性有关的事情非常敏感，另一方面，又对与性有关的事情十分麻木。在晚间脱口秀节目中，带有性暗示的粗俗笑话很常见。另一方面，在工作场所讲一个带有性暗示的粗俗笑话可能会让你被解雇。与此同时，粗俗的言论甚至在学校里似乎也是被接受的。我们的文化传递出复杂混乱的信息，但我们基督徒不应该发出混乱的信息。
爱是“不做害羞的事”。那些粗俗的笑话会令我的邻舍感觉不舒服。大多数人会因为粗俗的言辞感到被冒犯。爱要求我们在做一切事情时都应当是端正的、恰当的，特别是和性有关的事情。亚当和夏娃犯罪后，上帝用衣服遮盖他们是有原因的！同样，我们也应该用端正、恰当的态度遮盖我们的一切言行。
耶稣爱我们，救赎我们，让我们属于他，我们生活在他的国度里，我们的思想、言语和行为都应该归荣耀给他。让我们超越自己的文化，过正派和充满爱心的生活。
祷告：主耶稣，你的行为举止即使在十字架上都是恰当的，以确保因着你完美的生命和献祭，我全部的罪才能得到赦免和救赎。请帮助我每一天都过有智慧并行为端正的生活，让我全部的思想、言语和行为能使你的名字被尊为圣。阿们。
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。
“爱是不求自己的益处”，“求自己的益处”这个词是什么意思？在希腊文中这几个字的意思是不追求你自己的东西。保罗在腓立比书2章3-4节扩展了这层意思：“凡事不可自私自利，不可贪图虚荣；各人不要单顾自己的事，也要顾别人的事。”但我们生活中的哲学往往是相反的，可以用一个常用的成语来表达：“你应该先为自己着想。”这就像1,2,3那么简单。你最优先考虑的是什么？这个世界的优先次序是我排第一，其次是我的家人（或邻舍），然后才是上帝。但是上帝眼中的爱，是把这个优先次序颠倒过来的：上帝第一，其次是我的家人和邻舍，末后才是我们自己。
没有人喜欢说自己自私，但这就是我们罪恶的本性。你可以做一个试验，让别人帮你设置你的闹钟在一个小时内响四次，但时间是随机的，只有那个人知道。当闹钟响的时候，写下你正在想什么并如实回答以下问题：“我在考虑我自己吗？我是在想以自我中心的事情吗？”我们中间恐怕很多人在这个试验中会失败，无法满足前面提到的优先级次序。
有什么解决方法呢？我认为解决方法不在于我们多想我们邻舍的事情，而在于我们多想上帝的事情。如果上帝在我心里，那么我的邻舍也会紧随其后。诗篇的一个奇妙作用，就是带领我们更多地想上帝，更少地想我们自己。有人建议每天默想三首诗篇，或是同一首诗篇每天默想三次，这对我们的属灵健康是有益处的。
祷告：耶和华啊，求你留心听我的言语，顾念我的心思。我的王我的神啊，求你垂听我呼求的声音，因为我向你祈祷！耶和华啊，早晨你必听我的声音；早晨我必向你陈明我的心意，并要警醒。阿们。（诗篇第5篇，供早晨咏颂的诗篇）
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)
I looked this up in the Greek dictionary to see exactly what this means. Here is the definition: “behave indecently, act improperly, to be rude, behave disgracefully, dishonorably.” It’s often used in connection with sexual behavior.
We live in a culture which is on the one hand, super-sensitive about sexual things, and on the other hand, numb to the same. A crude joke with sexual connotations on the evening talk shows is common. On the other hand, a crude joke that has sexual overtones in the workplace can get you fired. At the same time, crude talk seems to be acceptable even in schools. Our culture sends mixed messages. We should not.
Love does not behave indecently. Crude jokes will make my neighbor uncomfortable. Foul language is still offensive to most people. Love demands modesty in all that we do, and especially in things of a sexual nature. God clothed Adam and Eve after the fall for a reason! In the same way, we should clothe everything we say and do with modesty.
Jesus loved us and redeemed us to be his own and to live under him in his kingdom and to give him glory in all that we say and think and do. We can rise above our culture and live a life of love and decency.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you were careful even on the cross to make sure that all my sins were forgiven and atoned for. Help me to be careful and wise in how I live my life each day so that your name will be made holy in all I say, and think, and do. Amen.
Listen: 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)
What does it mean to be “selfish?” The Greek says that it does not seek your own things. Paul expanded on this thought in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” The opposite philosophy of life is described with a much used proverb in our culture: “You have to look out for number one.” It’s as simple as 1,2,3. What are your priorities? The world’s order is me first, my family (or neighbor), then God. Love as God describes it reverses that order for our lives. God first. Family and neighbor second. Ourselves last.
No one likes to describe themselves as selfish, but that is what we are in our sinful nature. It would be an interesting experience to have an alarm go off every fifteen minutes, but randomly, so you couldn’t plan it. When the alarm sounded, write down what you were thinking about and honestly answer the question, “Was I thinking about me? Was I being self-centered?” I don’t think too many of us would pass the test of being well balanced in the 1-2-3 priorities!
The solution? I don’t think the solution lies in thinking about my neighbor more, but in thinking about God more. If God is on my mind, then my neighbor will be close behind. The psalms do a wonderful job in training us to think about God more and ourselves less. Someone suggested that it is healthy to meditate on three psalms a day (or one a day three times).
Prayer: Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my Go, for to you I pray. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Amen. (Psalm 5 – the morning psalm)