Love Is Patient

I bought the Love Dare today and decided that I am going to go yesterday and do the dares that are in it.  It is supposed to be an aid to help couples love each other better and follow what 1 Corinthians says about love.  I am at Day 1 for the dares and so far it already has me thinking about somethings.  Today's dare is to not say anything negative. As I read the dare I couldn't help but wonder how often do we simply say something negative to the one we love.   When we work to not say anything negative we work to say something positive and therefore the love in our hearts will be reflected.  We have a choice to be positive instead of negative.  We can choose the words that we speak.

Saying something negative especially out of anger diminishes love and stifles it,it doesn't allow love to grow in a natural way.  The Bible says "he who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick tempered exalts folly" Proverbs 14:29.  Today's dare is based on Love is Patient, when we are patient we are slow to anger and therefore slow to say something negative; something we would regret.  When we quick to anger in a situation we say things we don't even think about, things we end up regretting later.  Being patient and slow to anger show mercy and love.  We aren't judging or condemning.  We need to remember that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes; even our spouses.  Being patients helps us understand that and be able to forgive them of their faults.  It allows our spouses to be human and make amends.  Being patient during the small things allow patience during the hard times and bring us closer together rather than pulling us apart.

The author of the "Love Dare" states that patience is "a choice to control your emotions rather than allowing  your emotions to control you, and shows discretion instead of returning evil for evil."  Patience is a choice to control our emotions which in turn allows us to control what is coming out of our mouths.  Today I am making a conscientious choice to think about the words that I say to Tom.  Are the positive or negative?  Am I allowing my emotions to control me, and how I handle things or do I have control over my emotions?   Saying something negative takes the understanding and affection out of a loving and patient relationship.  I know it will be a challenge to not say anything negative and to allow patience to rule instead of anger, but I am willing to work on it and become a better loving person because of it.