Love Rejoices in the Truth (Chance on Love Book 1)

And this is probably due to the lack of character development that wasn't set up from the very beginning. There hasn't been a connection set up for any of the relationships that would explain a wishy washy behaviour during a time of confusion like this. And that was what was so lackluster for me. I won't spoil the ending but I do think the author made Emma do the "right" thing.

But the path to getting there was so frustrating and happened way too quickly. It was like a light bulb moment went in Emma's head and she decided the right thing to do so quickly, it made the rest of the book moot! I really wanted another author to write this and now because the premise has already been explored, it will never happen. The whole time I thought it would have been such a better story if someone like Colleen Hoover or Tammara Webber wrote this, but oh well!

Taylor Jenkins Reid has never let me down with any of her novels. Each one is written in an extremely easy to read style that ensures readers will fly through the pages; each one also happens to be laced with themes that are universal and thought-provoking. One True Loves is certainly no exception, as Reid seeks to present her own answer to one question: Is it possible to truly love more than one person?

Now, I know my answer to this question, but I was eager to discover how Reid would endeavor to address it in this novel. And quite frankly, I thought she did a spectacular job. Writing about something this complicated requires a capable, confident hand, and that is precisely what Reid possesses.

One True Loves tells the story of Emma Blair. In her twenties, she marries her high school sweetheart Jesse, and together, they make a life for themselves that involves all sorts of spontaneous adventures. It is there she runs into an old friend, Sam, and she finds herself doing the impossible: But when Jesse is found alive, Emma now has to face an impossible choice. It sounds really dramatic, and yet, Reid handles the entire plot with a surprisingly light touch. But, as with her other novels, Reid injects humor and joy into the tale, and that certainly balanced things out. It helps that Emma is a likable character, and I immediately felt a kinship with her.

Her struggles were really hard to read about, her triumphs were easy to cheer for and I really found it easy to understand and relate to her. I loved the perspective that this provided when considering how Emma should react, and it was incredible how Reid managed to also make me like both men as individuals and for Emma for different reasons. It was such a raw, honest portrayal of what such a situation could mean for everyone involved! Or telling how I felt in particular about these guys. Reid continues to put out novels that are guaranteed to be reads that are impossible to put down, extremely compelling in spite of the emotional turmoil and extremely thoughtful explorations of some big, personal questions.

I really admire her ability to get me to see so many different aspects of any given situation her characters find themselves in, and the way that she constantly challenges me to really think about things when I finish one of her stories. See all reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway.

Set up a giveaway. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. The One That Got Away: There's a problem loading this menu right now. Learn more about Amazon Prime. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Get to Know Us. English Choose a language for shopping. Explore the Home Gift Guide. Nov 19, Elyse Walters rated it it was amazing. I liked this book -- but what I especially enjoyed was the 'audiobook' narrator, also. I didn't 'read' this book. Reid chooses great narrators The story had me hooked 'with' the audible.

Jesse has been gone for three years Emma was in shock - and experienced horrific loss when the crash happened. Her grieving process was almost unbearable. At some point she began to be ready to let go of the sadness - not the memories- but she was ready to put the pain down She knew she had to look forward -- to find joy in her life. She worked hard moving through her loss with Jesse.

When she was ready to take a step forward, she wrote a -cleansing-phantom-spiritual type letter to Jesse, then tucked it away in a drawer She asked for his blessing to move forward with an open heart. She wants another love like she had with him. Emma accepts a date with Sam. Sam and Emma date for about a year. They get engaged to marry. About a month before the wedding, Emma gets word that Jesse is alive. He is coming home. I found this story really engaging.

It was more authentic than 'silly'. Yes, I'm sure it's considered woman's fiction - but I am a women One afternoon I drove up to a favorite local 'kinda-secret' hilly trail high up on the mountain I started at noon - finished just before 3pm.. I never once switched to music during those 3 hours.

The 'voice' of the storytelling was so natural Emma loved both men -- but what man will she choose? The process in which she chooses -- was honest. I suppose as I describe this story, it sounds kinda schlocky The voice narrator was a pro. Audiobook-listening, I'm discovering is an art - all the colors must match up I consider myself still somewhat a newbie, but audiobooks definitely has a place.

I still don't really consider it reading. It's not the same. At one time, I was sure I would hate audiobooks: Memoirs by the author tend to be a good risk worth taking -non-fiction varies if you like the topic and the reader And fiction is the rare breed. It's fabulous 'only' when the reader is fabulous. For fiction audiobooks, the voice narrator almost needs to be slightly better than the novel itself.

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Kudos to the author Taylor Jenkins Reid, but I must say, her audible reader enhanced her story! I was left with a couple of questions, after listening to this story Does anyone know of a similar situation in real life??? It must be possible- and if so I'm curious about the details An inside funny for those who have read this book: View all 29 comments. Feb 22, Christy rated it really liked it. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author that has a talent for making you think about her stories and your life in general.

One True Loves is definitely a book that will make you think. It also gave me all the feels, which I love. Then something traumatic happens. She moves back home and settles running the family business. After years pass, she moves on. The grief has consumed her for far too long. You start to understand that grief is chronic. You have to move through it, like swimming an undertow.

Emma runs into Sam, a friend from high school, and sparks fly. She loves who she is with him and can see a future. They become engaged and things are looking up for them. Until she gets a phone call from a ghost- her long lost husband. It shakes her to her core. Her past, her present, they are both colliding. Her choice is impossible to make. I personally loved both Sam and Jesse. I knew my heart was going to break no matter who she chose. I was a mess while reading. I cried more than once.

I bit my nails to the quick. The angst really got to me at times. Then there came a point where I came to terms with what was happening and I was okay with it- then view spoiler [ After Emma decided for certain who she would be with- she had one final romp with the other man. I understood they needed closure, but that gutted me.

I think a goodbye hug and kiss would have sufficed. Honestly, this is probably the only reason this isn't a 5 star for me. For those readers who are looking for something that will make you feel, make you think and want to read a story about finding yourself and true love- pick this one up. This is a book I will never forget! View all 58 comments.

Jul 16, Melanie rated it liked it Shelves: The universe really lined up for me with this one. They grew up together in a very small town in Massachusetts, but together they traveled the world and set up home base in California. She thought she was living the happiest life that she could, until he goes missing in a helicopter crash and is presumed dead.

And two years after the love of her life was lost, she falls in love with a boy she has also known almost her entire life. And for the first time in a long time, she is happy. That is, until the missing husband is officially declared alive. And friends, that is the real reason this book is extremely hard for me to review. This book handles such an important and not talked about discussion on how you want different things at different points in your life.

I was born and raised in Michigan, where all my family still live, but I knew I never wanted to stay. Like, more emotional than any kind of sad love triangle could be. So again, this is a hard book to rate. We evolve in reaction to our pleasures and our pains.

Yet, again, it did bother many of my friends, so use caution. Also, content and trigger warnings for underage drinking, thoughts of suicide, loss of a loved one, depression depiction, grief depiction, PTSD depiction, grey area cheating, and talk of cancer. Taylor Jenkins Reid always makes me books very inclusionary and I very much appreciate it.

It will only be the intent behind them that will matter. I loved the messages of people changing and living the life they want to at whatever time in their life they want to live it. View all 7 comments. This book just was not for me. In fact, the premise of the heroine losing her husband, eventually moving on only to find out her husband survived. Here is my problem. I did not connect. The way the book was structured and the fact that the author put the evol Unpopular opinion: The way the book was structured and the fact that the author put the evolution of two complete relationships into a page book was too much and too little all at the same time.

As a result I felt like reading a list of chronological events without feeling like I experienced them through the characters. I simply did not connect. I have to say there were some very emotional parts towards the end, but then some of the characters actions were very questionable, even though they were in impossible situations, I just had a hard time understanding them.

I guess it comes down to tastes. View all 55 comments. Jun 26, Pearl Angeli rated it really liked it Shelves: I think true love means loving truly. Because if it is, then I am sorry. I loved the writing style of Taylor Jenkins Reid. It's beautiful, compelling, well thought-out. But the ending was not something that I want to happen and I refuse to accept it until now. One True Loves took me on quite a ride. She fell in love with Jesse when she was in her 9th grade. In her twenties, the two of them got married and traveled around the world, far from their families in their hometown in Massachusetts.

On the day before their anniversary, Jesse flew to Alaska but after a few days, Emma's life was shattered when she heard that the private plane that carried Jesse crashed and his body went missing. Her hopes of finding him alive vanished as the days went by, leading her to presume that he's dead and to return to her hometown and start a new life.

Two years later, she unexpectedly reunited with her childhood friend Sam who later on gave her hope of finding true love again. Now that they're already engaged and they're both happy, Emma suddenly received a call from Jesse. He is, after all, alive. It doesn't always have to be for a lifetime. I loved how the whole story was portrayed, how the romance touched me so deeply, and how the turn of events played my mind.

Right off the bat, I knew exactly who to root for and I was really hoping against hope that he will be the "one true love" that Emma will choose. This my first Taylor Jenkins Reid read and I'm already a fan. This author has a way of taking something so emotional and turning it into a beautiful novel. I am so glad I picked this book because even if it broke my heart in the end, the overall journey was worth it.

Now if I would be given a chance to change an ending of a book, I would really change the conclusion of One True Loves without hesitating. Can you feel my frustration? We were meant to have been. View all 22 comments. Dec 17, Jennifer Kyle rated it really liked it Shelves: The heroine falls for and marries her high school dream guy and they are perfect for one another. She lives years in a life of adventure and wonder that she had always dreamt of till a horrific accident occurs and he is presumed dead.

When her husband returns years later who will she chose? I did find that the story lacked at several parts but still managed to make it well worth the read and it did honestly in the end touch me to the core. View all 71 comments. But, this time, I'm simply amazed! I loved this story so much! It was heartbreaking, emotional, intense and so very beautiful. There were moments I was happy, upset and others where I was crying Her books are like nothing I have read before. I loved her words because they are simply beautiful. I have underline so many quotes that I want to read again and again!!

I don't think there is anyone who will read this story and not love it! You know that it is something you must learn to live with, something you manage. The story and the characters felt so real. I don't know what will do if I was Emma. The love she shares with two men is like nothing else. I have to admit that I was feeling sad and upset knowing that whoever she choose the other one will be sad.

But, the ending was perfect and I loved how Taylor Jenkins Reid manages to make them everything feel perfect. The messages I got from this story are many and made me think. I don't know what else to say to make you read it, but please give it a try, you will not be disappointed! View all 41 comments. Jun 04, Rachel Reads Ravenously rated it really liked it Shelves: Sometimes they come right before, when you're almost there.

In their twenties they married and fully expected to be together forever. But fate intervenes when a year into their marriage Jesse is lost at sea from a helicopter crash and presumed dead by everyone. Three years later and Emma has moved on, her life is completely different. She lives on the east coast instead of LA, a career as a travel writer has changed into one of a bookstore owner. And Emma is engaged to Sam, an old family friend and is blissfully happy in a way she never expected to be ever again. Then Emma gets a call and finds out Jesse survived.

Thus brings on the question, do we only have one true love? You can't yearn for two dreams. I always approach her books with trepidation because so far every single one I have read by her has made me cry. This book was no exception. Despite being essentially a love triangle I really enjoyed this book. The characters are relatable and tangible. It really makes you wonder how you yourself would react if you were in a similar situation as Emma, or one of her guys.

This book was more about Emma's own journey and her self discovery of the person she wanted to be, more than just a simple love triangle in a romance book. The one thing I would have hoped for more from this book was a balance between the two men. By this we got to read more about one man and his effect on Emma and the other a little bit less.

I would have liked to see more of Emma's story with the other guy, as I feel it would have provided more insight into their relationship. Thought provoking and charming, One True Loves is memorable experience and a delight to sink one's teeth into. A poignant book about the meaning of a soulmate and whether we are destined in life to have more than one true love. View all 37 comments. Jan 04, Melissa rated it liked it Shelves: I hate this feeling—the nagging, incessant, soul-crushing thought that I should have loved this one more. This was supposed to be an epic read or so I thought.

There is no doubt that Taylor Jenkins Reid can spin highly emotional stories and always with a unique take on a relationship. She has the ability to make you sit back and think—to struggle with your own emotions and conflicted heart—in a way that sets her work apart, but it didn't totally work I hate this feeling—the nagging, incessant, soul-crushing thought that I should have loved this one more. She has the ability to make you sit back and think—to struggle with your own emotions and conflicted heart—in a way that sets her work apart, but it didn't totally work for me this time.

The first line certainly made me pause—can you blame me though? Not because both guys were great or I was worried about one of them ending up unhappy, but because of the way that Emma handled the whole situation. She flip-flopped way too easily between between Jesse and Sam. Not to mention, things were resolved a little too neatly and quickly.

In my mind, I think it would take more than a 3-day weekend to come to the realization that Emma did. When you love someone, it seeps out of everything you do, it bleeds into everything you say, it becomes so ever-present and ubiquitous, that eventually it becomes ordinary to hear, no matter how extraordinary it is to feel.

It felt like a missed opportunity. View all 17 comments. I related to this so much more than I thought I would, excuse me while I go and be emo about this book bc ow my feelings. It's been four months since I read it and it's still my top fave of If there's nothing I love more, it's angst and what plotline can bring that kind of emotional torture than that of a presumed dead spouse coming back Couple that with this book being written by none other than Taylor Jenkins Reid, who ripped my heart out with After I Do, I put everything aside to read this.

Emma lived through the worst kind of tragedy a wife can live through- the tragic death of her husband. His helicopter disappearing into the Pacific, all occupants presumed dead. But she couldn't believe it. Jesse wouldn't abandon her like that. Not to mention, he's an all-state swimmer.

If anyone can swim to safety, it's Jesse. So she stands vigil on her roof, binoculars in hand, waiting for him to swim back to her Until her sister says he's not coming back. One step in front of the other, she moves home to Acton, Massachusetts to be near family and help run their book store. It's everything she ran from but is now her salvation from a life of grief and loneliness. Years pass, baby steps but Emma begins to smile at the memory of Jesse instead of cry. Her crippling grief becomes a burden she longs to shed.

And fate brings her back to Sam , a childhood pal and a balm to her broken heart.

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So you put it down. And just when she's shed that burden of grief, fallen in love again and has plans for her happily-ever-after with Sam, the call comes The timeline of the book starts with current day when she gets the "he's alive" phone call then takes us back to the early days with Jesse and Emma's young love story- then gradually taking us through the accident, her crippling grief, and finally onto meeting Sam and their epic friends-to-lovers story. You'll love them all. You'll want everyone to have their happily-ever-after.

But someone has to lose in order for someone to win. This is where Taylor Jenkins Reid surpasses all my expectations. Her writing puts you smack dab in Emma's head and you feel every ounce of struggle. She loves two men. One from her past and one from her present. Or can we have more than one true love in life? I absolutely devoured this book. It's what true romance is all about for me. We are gifted with not one but two epic love stories. One True Loves will capture your heart and not let go until the very last page.

People may come into or at least along side the faith because they are given false expectations of what their conversion will produce. When Jesus invited men to follow Him, He did not make sweeping promises of prosperity. Let us preach the gospel as Jesus did and never seek to lure people into the faith with unbiblical bait see 1 Corinthians 4: Why do those who are apparently successful write books so the rest of us can be successful too?

Perhaps it is because we are hopeful of the same success. It is also wrong if we are trying to be just like someone else, to duplicate their ministry rather than to fulfill the unique role God has given us. Let us beware of trying to imitate others to be as successful as they appear to be. Arrogance and boasting are the reverse side of the coin. Jealousy is my sinful response to the prosperity of others. Arrogance and boasting are my sinful response to my own prosperity. Boasting is letting other people know about my success in a way that tempts others to be jealous of that success.

Arrogance and boasting are not Christian virtues; humility is a virtue. Arrogance is a character trait of Satan. In Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, political potentates are rebuked for their arrogance in a way that suggests a close kinship to Satan himself. It is not possible to take pride in that which we are given, apart from merit or works. We cannot boast or take credit for the gift of salvation, and neither do we dare be proud of our spiritual gifts or ministries: And what do you have that you did not receive?

But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? Grace pulls the rug out from under pride and boasting. Paul once took great pride in his performance as a Pharisee, but not after he was saved.

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As a Christian, Paul saw his contribution to the work of God in a new light:. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: The Corinthians were arrogant 1 Corinthians 4: But how does pride and boasting manifest itself in the church—our church—today? Let me suggest some areas where pride might be found. Pride and boasting are found wherever the most coveted gifts and ministries are present. People who mean well may compliment those with outstanding gifts, and their words may become flattery; the thoughts of those so praised may produce arrogance.

One area of pride is the family. In truth, good parenting is never a guarantee of good children. God is sovereign in the election and salvation of our children, and He is under no obligation to save them because of any work or merit on our part. When our children walk with the Lord, it is solely due to the grace of God and not to our good parenting.

We, as parents, are obligated to be faithful in the rearing of our children, just as we are to be faithful in proclaiming the gospel. But faithful parenting, like faithful proclamation, does not assure us of the results. The most pious forms of pride and boasting seemingly give God the credit for our works. I have heard preachers say: How subtle the sin when we praise God in a way that reflects well on us. Many of us have discovered that we have nothing worth boasting about in ourselves. But we nevertheless find ways to boast in a second-hand manner.

The Corinthians, for example, boasted in their leaders: We can do the same: Advertising is yet another difficult area. I have yet to hear a radio commercial for a church that says anything negative about that church. Can you imagine hearing a local Christian station advertisement: We are not all that successful. Jesus never found it necessary to send a promotional team ahead of Him, to have radio spots, full-page advertisements, or other propaganda devices.

In fact, Jesus often commanded those for whom He did miracles to keep quiet about them and not to advertise Him. Would that the power of God were so evident in the church today that no advertising would be needed. Parenting today seems to operate on just the opposite premise as that set down here by the apostle Paul.

Many parents seem to think that in order to be loving parents they must tolerate bad behavior from their children rather than insist on good behavior. Children throw screaming fits, and parents helplessly shrug their shoulders, as though they were powerless to change things and as though they have forgotten what Proverbs says about disciplining a child.

Wives and husbands seem to think that if their mate really loves them, they will put up with their bad behavior. Paul turns the tables. He informs us that love requires us not to behave badly. The Corinthians are not behaving themselves very well. There are divisions and factions. There is immorality, even such that pagans are shocked chapter 5.

There are lawsuits chapter 6 , and some are actually participating in heathen idol worship celebrations chapters All in all, the Corinthians are behaving badly. This is not what love is all about. Love is about behaving in an appropriate manner. It is about conduct befitting the circumstance. The Book of Proverbs has a great deal to say on this subject of appropriate behavior. Many of us use the gospel as an excuse to be pushy or overly aggressive with others.

We confront, buttonhole, badger and bully others, all in the name of soul-winning. But Jesus never intruded, never forced Himself upon an unwilling, uninterested victim. Soul-winning is no excuse for running over people rough shod so we can put another notch on our evangelistic gun: Not long ago I received a phone call from someone very early in the morning, who told me the phones were not supposed to be used at that hour and were normally turned off. Much of the conduct of the Corinthians in the church meeting was not Spirit-led but merely compulsive self-assertion.

Let us never blame God for our bad behavior, and if we are those who truly do love God and others, let us not act badly, whether excused by pious language or not. Love does not act unbecomingly. Love is that kind of conduct which is winsome, which draws people to us, and which prompts them to ask us about our faith see 1 Peter 3: Love is not self-seeking or self-serving.

Morris explains this characteristic in this way:. Though these two things are different, they are both born of self-centeredness—and it is this that love rules out. Love is concerned with the well being of the loved ones, not with its own welfare. This is the fifth consecutive item that specifically echoes earlier parts of the letter, this time The Corinthians are completely self-absorbed. They measure themselves by their gifts and ministries and do not think of themselves as a part of the body of Christ.

They are so self-centered they are willing to demand the freedom to practice their alleged liberties, even if it destroys a weaker brother chapter 8. They assert themselves in the church meeting with little or no regard for others and for edification. The church of our day is hardly different. We are told that our first priority is to love ourselves so that we can then love others. My friend, that is not only unbiblical, it is illogical and foolish. How can we be so gullible as to embrace this kind of error?

Love is a matter of prioritizing. I am to love God above any and all others; He has first priority. I am to love my wife above all mankind, just as Christ has set His love on His church. I am to love my neighbor and even my enemy. That is, I am to put the interests of others above my own see Philippians 2: If I love myself first, I cannot love my neighbor, because loving my neighbor means putting him first.

I am to love my neighbor as myself; that is, I am to love my neighbor in the same ways I find it natural to love myself see Ephesians 5: Some Christians see self-love for what it is, but there are other forms of self-absorption, and some people are self-centered in other ways. Others wallow in the mired waters of self-pity, constantly meditating on the ways others have abused them.

Any preoccupation with self is self-centered and contrary to the way of love. Let us not forget that ours is the way of the cross; the Christian life is about dying daily and the mortification of the flesh. Too many Christians try to coddle that which needs to be crucified. The term is by no means used only with a negative connotation. The Corinthians are obviously provoked in a number of areas.

Some are provoked enough to take their brethren to court chapter 6. Others seem provoked to divorce their mates chapter 7. Often today, Christians are provoked by minor offenses and leave the church or take some form of retaliatory action. Some are provoked by their mates and act in a destructive way to their marriage. Parents may be provoked by their children or children by their parents see Ephesians 6: There are all too many abusive parents or mates, whose explosive anger cannot be predicted or avoided but only dreaded.

Having warned of being very careful about becoming too quickly provoked, I must add that some saints really need to get upset about what they see. In the supermarket, and even in the church, I see children throwing temper tantrums while their parents look on helplessly as though they can do nothing. There is something they can do, and if they cannot remember what it is, I suggest they read the Book of Proverbs. We ought to be angered at sin, but in our anger, we should act appropriately and not explosively see Ephesians 4: There is a time for righteous indignation , but let us be certain it is truly righteous wrath and not just human anger with a pious label:.

But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God James 1: Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. We find it hard to forget it when people offend us, often storing up such grievances. One little irritation brings to mind an entire file of previous offenses, carefully annotated and documented.

This kind of mental bookkeeping only serves to fuel resentment and certainly does not facilitate true reconciliation. Finding out what a person enjoys—what gives them pleasure and causes them to rejoice—may be very revealing about the character of that person. All too often, I find myself enjoying something not really righteous. For example, an off-color joke may be funny or enjoyable—but not righteous. Secular entertainment offers a good illustration; many movies set us up to take pleasure in that which is not righteous. Often the villain is characterized by incredible violence and cruelty.

All through the movie, he does things designed to cause us to hate him with a passion. We want this person to die in the worst conceivable way. And so, in the end, the individual gets his reward, dying the most painful, violent death the film writer can conceive. And we find ourselves watching this man die with great pleasure, rejoicing in that which is far from righteous.

Christians reject a great many movies for explicit sex, violence, or filthy language, and rightly so. But these blatantly offensive or evil films tend to desensitize us toward films which are evil in a more subtle way. Here is a movie we can take the family to see. But some of these movies may tempt us to rejoice in unrighteousness without even realizing it. A few years ago, we saw a family film which started with a woman taking off her wedding ring and leaving it with a note to her husband.

As the movie went on, the woman was portrayed as a caring woman who developed a special relationship with a handicapped child. From the standpoint of biblical revelation, the woman and the doctor were committing adultery. Gossip is yet another area where most all of us fail to live up to in the standard Paul sets for us. Many Christians actually take pleasure in gossip. Suppose someone in the church has gifts or a ministry we covet. Someone comes along and shares a rumor: And so we gladly listen to the rumor and even pass it along to others. Here is the way to unity.

Love dwells on what is right and then does what is right. This is the way to peace. Love does not, for example, believe everything. Love is always characterized by certain qualities, without exception. Throughout history, man has sought to excuse disobedience or sin by convincing himself that his situation is an exception. Jesus was asked if a man could divorce his wife for any reason at all Matthew His response was a refusal to dwell on the exceptions and to focus on the rule. He knew that for the Pharisees, the exception had become the rule. And so Paul informs his readers that there are four things love never ceases to possess and to practice, four things which can always be expected from genuine love.

I do not believe we are forced to one choice or the other. It is completely within the realm of possibility that Paul meant us to understand this word in terms of its broader range of meaning. Sin is shameful, and love does not wish the sinner to be shamed more than necessary. Peter reminds us that Jesus suffered silently, not responding verbally to the abuses hurled upon Him, and that this pattern of silent suffering is to be followed by all the saints 1 Peter 2: We are to go privately to a brother who has sinned against us, and if he repents as a result of our rebuke, the matter is settled, never to be made public.

If, however, this wayward brother resists and refuses to repent, then the matter once dealt with in the strictest privacy must now be dealt with in a way that becomes more and more public. After all efforts to turn the wayward brother from sin have been rejected, the whole church must be notified of his sin, and he must be publicly ex-communicated.

Love always seeks to keep the sin of a wayward brother as private as possible, but this does not mean we cannot and should not be confronted publicly, if all private efforts have failed. Love never caves in or collapses under duress. Love always holds up. Love never forsakes faith. Love always believes; it always has faith, even when life seems to be crumbling about us.

Adversity is never an occasion for unbelief. Paul, imprisoned and awaiting a verdict from Caesar, was filled with faith, trusting that his death would either bring him into the presence of God or that his life would be used to draw others nearer to God Philippians 1. Suffering is not an excuse for the failure of faith; rather, it is an occasion where love and faith may be demonstrated. I know that faith, hope, and love are often mentioned together or are found in very close proximity to each other. When Jesus summoned the four fishermen, Peter and Andrew, James and John, why did these men leave their nets, their boats, and even their father to follow Jesus?

Was it because of their faith? But I think we would also have to say they were drawn to Jesus out of love—His love for them and theirs for Him. These disciples did not understand a great deal about Jesus and His gospel until after His death, burial and resurrection. What kept them following Him before these things were clear in their minds? Faith, in part, but also love.

Love always has faith. Our love for God and our trust in His Word should give us unlimited faith in Him. Those men and women whom we love we must also trust, but within limits. We dare not believe everything we are told. In Deuteronomy 13, Moses warns the Israelites concerning those who would lead them astray.

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Love is never a license to uncritically accept all we are told. The love we find in the Bible is based on the truth:. It may be difficult to imagine a husband loving his wife and not trusting her. Our faith, however, must not be in our fellow man, but in God. No matter how bad things may be, no matter how much grief others may dish out to us, we should have unlimited faith in God. We should have faith in His promises to sustain us, to keep us from falling, and to perfect His work in us. We should have faith that God is using our trials and tribulations to strengthen our faith Romans 5: All too often one sees a kind of cynicism in Christians, which is hardly compatible with faith.

Of course, we believe in the depravity of man. We know a genuine and permanent peace will never be negotiated or brought about on this earth, apart from the return of our Lord and the establishment of His kingdom. Nevertheless, we can have faith that God will bring about His purposes for this earth and that He can save those who are seemingly hopelessly lost in their sins such as Saul of Tarsus. We can be optimistic about what God will accomplish through us in this world.

Love, true love, always manifests faith. Faith is believing in what is ultimately real and true but not immediately seen see Hebrews Faith believes God is going to give us that which our eyes do not and cannot see but which God has promised to us. Hope is our longing and desire for those things which are future, which by faith we believe we shall receive. I may receive a telephone call informing me that my mother and father are flying down to visit us in a week.

Faith believes they are coming. Hope eagerly anticipates their arrival as that which I strongly desire. The concept of hope is frequently found in the writings of the apostle Paul. The thought is not that of an unreasoning optimism, which fails to take account of reality. It is rather a refusal to take failure as final. Following on from believeth all things it is the confidence which looks to ultimate triumph by the grace of God.

We can fairly readily grasp the relationship between faith and hope, but what is the relationship between hope and love? It seems to me that we hope for what we really love. When I was a boy, so many years ago, I began to drive when I was I did not drive on the highway. Our property was large enough that I could do a lot of driving on our own roads without breaking the law. I loved to drive. I could not wait until I was 16 when I could legally drive on the highway. I had hope I could and would someday be able to drive.

I longed for what I loved. I think we see this same kind of hope in the life of Jacob. When Jacob fled from home really from his brother Esau , he went to live among his relatives in Padan Aram. Finding his uncle Laban, Jacob stayed with him, falling in love with his younger daughter, Rachel. Jacob worked for seven years to earn the dowry for Rachel, only to discover that Laban had given him Leah instead. It took another seven years of labor before Jacob had paid the dowry for Rachel. Of course there is a sense in which our love for others should give us hope for them.

We love the children God has given us, and as they grow up, we have hope that God will save them and that they will grow up to be true disciples of Jesus Christ. Our hope, however, is not in them so much as it is hope for them. We have hope for our children because ultimately our faith and hope are in God. We have hope that God will accomplish certain things in them. In spite of all the abuse he had taken from these, his children, Paul had great hope for them:. Christians should be characterized by hope in the midst of adversity, and it may well be this hope which opens the door for sharing our faith with others: True love is characterized by a consistent hope.

Perseverance or endurance do not focus so much on the intensity of the trouble as the duration of it. Love, Paul tells us, does not run out of time. This point will be taken up in the following verses. No matter how difficult the trial, love bears up under it; no matter how long the trial, love perseveres. This was not the case when the Corinthians divorced one another chapter 7 or when one believer took another to court chapter 6.

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This, by the way, is what marriage vows are all about. When a man and a woman love each other and enter into marriage by the taking of vows, they promise to love each other, no matter what. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul sets out to show the superiority of character to charisma; specifically, he wants us to grasp the superiority of Christian love to our possession of the gifts of the Spirit.

In verses , Paul has stated that even the most highly prized gifts, exercised to the ultimate level of success, but without love, are of little value to the one who is gifted or to the one who is the recipient of his ministry.

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Now in verses , Paul adds his final, finishing touches on this chapter. He reasons that love is superior to all the spiritual gifts because love outlasts them. Love never fails; spiritual gifts do fail.