1 Corinthians 13:4e
“…someone who is so inflated with pride that he becomes arrogant and rude…”
~4 min read
Charity is not puffed up (1 Corinthians 13:4e)
Charity is not puffed up means love is not arrogant or proud. This pride is closely associated with boasting, but here it has the idea of someone who is so inflated with pride that he becomes arrogant and rude.
The Corinthians were puffed up and proud about their spiritual knowledge, about their spiritual gifts and even about their famous teachers, “Some say we belong to Apollos, others say, we belong to Peter, and yet others say, we belong to Paul.” They were so twisted in their pride that they boasted about their worldliness, idolatry and immorality, including incest, which was not even practiced by the pagans. People who are proud can be so blinded by their arrogance that they would not be able to differentiate between truth and error, nor between godliness and worldliness.
Let me share with you the testimony of William Carey, often known as the father of modern missions. He was a brilliant linguist who was responsible for translating parts of the Bible into almost thirty-four languages and dialects. He had been raised in a simple home in England and in his early days, he worked as a cobbler. When he first came to India, he was often ridiculed for his poor background and former occupation. One day, at a dinner celebration, a proud man said to him, “I understand, Mister Carey, that you once worked as a shoemaker.” “No, no, your lordship,” Carey replied, “I was not a shoemaker, only a shoe repairman.” He did not even claim to make shoes, only repair them. That is the kind of man God would use in His ministry, not someone who says, “I have several degrees, masters, bachelors, PHDs. I am able to speak in many languages. I have written many books and articles. I have established many churches.” William Carey said, “No, I am a nobody, and yet God chose to use me.”
Dear children, the believer who has love, will display the characteristics of love. Love is patient, kind, not jealous, does not boast, and is not proud. Maybe there was a time when we were impatient, unkind, jealous, always boasting and proud. But today, as believers, we have been transformed by the power of God and we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We are new creatures, and we recognise that these sins are inconsistent with the life of a believer. So, we pray and ask the Lord to help us, “Remove these sins from our lives so that we may manifest this agape love that is patient, kind, not jealous, not boasting and humble!”
2024 TERM 4Love (Part 12) — Beareth All ThingsLove (Part 12) — Beareth All Things1 Corinthians 13:7a
Love (Part 11) — Rejoiceth In The TruthLove (Part 11) — Rejoiceth In The Truth1 Corinthians 13:6b
Love (Part 10) — Rejoiceth Not In IniquityLove (Part 10) — Rejoiceth Not In Iniquity1 Corinthians 13:6a
Love (Part 9) — Thinketh No EvilLove (Part 9) — Thinketh No Evil1 Corinthians 13:5d
Love (Part 8) — Not Easily ProvokedLove (Part 8) — Not Easily Provoked1 Corinthians 13:5c
Love (Part 7) — Is Not SelfishLove (Part 7) — Is Not Selfish1 Corinthians 13:5b
Love (Part 6) — Does Not MisbehaveLove (Part 6) — Does Not Misbehave1 Corinthians 13:5a
Love (Part 5) — Is Not ProudLove (Part 5) — Is Not Proud1 Corinthians 13:4e
Love (Part 4) — Does Not BoastLove (Part 4) — Does Not Boast1 Corinthians 13:4d
Love (Part 3) — Is Not JealousLove (Part 3) — Is Not Jealous1 Corinthians 13:4c
Love (Part 2) — Is KindLove (Part 2) — Is Kind1 Corinthians 13:4b