… love is kind. —1 Corinthians 13:4

There is another demonstration of the fruit of brokenness—kindness. Most of us know what this word means. We certainly know when we are not treated with kindness.

Kindness is a positive action. Whereas patience shows how we react, kindness shows how we act. But how do we show this positive action of kindness? True kindness is the fruit of brokenness. It is more than being nice; we can be manipulative and still be nice. It is more than being courteous; we can be manipulative and courteous because we hope to achieve something. Niceness and courtesy are mere imitations, the fruit without the root. Kindness comes from the root, which is brokenness.

There are three words that demonstrate what Paul means by this word that is translated “shows kindness.” It first of all means goodness. It is possessing that quality that could be called “unself-righteous-morality,” that is, morality without being judgmental. That is what Paul means by love showing kindness. We can’t manipulate that. It flows from within a person who has been broken.

Second, this word translated “shows kindness” also means graciousness. Graciousness accepts people just as they are, seeing the rough diamond that others want to dismiss out of hand, noticing the potential in someone that others are blind to. Graciousness puts the intimidated person completely at ease. God is gracious.

And so, when Paul says “show kindness” he means goodness, graciousness, and, third, gentleness. Gentleness is having the grace to use our words to diffuse tension as opposed to saying what is emotive. There is just something about this kind of person. I am not talking about syrupy, mushy emotionalism, but just a special quality in the person that makes us want to be around them.

There is one further description that transcends all the others: kind people are peacemakers. They are the mediators of the world; they get enemies together; they don’t take sides; they are ruthless in their objectivity, but sweet in the way they talk to people. A person like that has been broken and has come to terms with suffering. There is a kindness that mirrors Jesus, expecting nothing but continuing to be good, gracious, and gentle.

Excerpted from Just Love (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1997).

Love is patient … —1 Corinthians 13:4

What is the point of being broken? Is brokenness an end in itself? No. The text shows that there is a fruit. Love is patient. Patience is a passive reaction, and it is the first fruit of brokenness. Patience, how we react. The Greek word for “patience” is macrothoumei and has a very complex meaning; it is impossible to translate it into one word. “Patience” is as good as any. There are three particular meanings of being slow (or patient) that I want us to look at here.

The first is being slow to anger. Does that make you think of God? F. F. Bruce has commented that the love of 1 Corinthians 13 really is nothing more than God. If we want to know what God is like, this is it. The more we have of God, the less angry we will be. When we are argumentative and judgmental, it is because we have forgotten God’s patience with us.

The second example of slowness is being slow to accuse. Look at these words from Proverbs 19:11: “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”

The third meaning is being slow to assume. A person who has not been broken is very quick to assume things and always assumes the worst, whereas 1 Corinthians 13 says, “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” The broken person is slow to assume anything, because he realizes that he doesn’t know all the facts, and in the meantime he will give that person the benefit of the doubt.

Love demonstrates patience; love also demonstrates kindness. Is the fruit of brokenness displayed in your life today?

Excerpted from Just Love (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1997).

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. —1 John 4:17, KJV

How could anyone have boldness on the day of judgment? I myself would be reluctant to claim I will feel that way on the day of judgment. The thought of it, if I am honest, does not give me boldness, but soberness. Perhaps I will be given grace at that time. I certainly hope so, because the thought of that day is so terrifying that one cannot imagine having boldness. On the other hand, John said that the Lord’s commands are not “burdensome” (1 John 5:3). I take that to mean that when we think God will throw the book at us, instead He will look down on us with tenderness and make us feel accepted because He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust (Ps. 103:14). Maybe more of us will have boldness on that day than we may think.

John says boldness is possible because of perfect love that casts out fear. If we live in perfect love, or total forgiveness, there is no fear, and the result is that we do not need to be afraid when Jesus comes and is sitting on His throne.

I know one thing. If the Lord were to say to someone “Well done,” that must be the ultimate in joy. It would be a joy greater than we can conceive. Unimaginable bliss. Relief. Wow! Whatever can be greater? I can tell you: nothing. It is the highest level of joy that ever was.

O Lord, may it happen to all my readers and to me—on that Day.

Excerpted from Pure Joy (Charisma House, 2006).

Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. —Luke 6:37-38

The person whose ego has been slain will first of all be one who refuses to manipulate or control others. We all have a desire to control people and circumstances. If we have the gifts without brokenness, we use them to control others, to have a hold on them. If our ego has been slain, we won’t want to be manipulative; rather, we will want to set people free.

If we are truly broken, we won’t feel the need to teach others a lesson; we will refuse to send others on a guilt trip. We won’t judge them; we will set them free.

I will never forget the time I came home after a Sunday evening service. I felt I preached poorly and was devastated. The response was disappointing, and so were the crowds. I pleaded with God for an answer. Before I knew it my eyes fell on Luke 6:37.

Those words hit me between my eyes. I am a very judgmental person. I do not suffer fools gladly. I knew God was telling me that my critical spirit must stop. I also felt that God was promising me an abundance of anointing (which I have so longed for) were my attitude to change. I began reading that passage literally every day; it is a life sentence. I am not what I want to be, but my life began to change.

The person whose ego has been slain will refuse to mention anything that will make himself or herself look good, anything that will bring credit. Brokenness leaves no footprints.

We are all afraid to be broken—I am. I am afraid of what it will cost me. It is scary. I am afraid of how I will appear if I am broken. I am afraid, but I want it. I am too old to live another day without it. May God let it happen to all of us!

Excerpted from Just Love (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1997).

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. —2 Corinthians 3:17

I have discerned by trial and error that the more conscious I am of God’s presence, the more I feel like being myself. The less conscious I am of His presence, the more I feel the need to prove myself. But the more I am myself, the greater my liberty. This is because I am affirming God, who made me as I am. When I move outside my anointing, I am trespassing. When I try to mimic somebody else, I am stealing another’s anointing, and it always backfires on me.

The funny thing is, when I try to imitate someone else I never capture their real genius but their eccentricity. It is a fact that what is most easily copied in any man or woman is their odd manner or even their weakness.

God made each of us as we are. He chose our parents before we were born, chose our environment, our childhood peers and shaped our interests—not to mention determining our IQ! When we come to terms with our limitations, we gain not only peace but also productivity in the end.

Accepting our limitations is essential to accepting our anointing. Perhaps God will not use us as long as we have unrealistic aspirations of ourselves. I was not being true to myself or the way God made me by entertaining such lofty notions. I was only wanting to make my peers envious by my accomplishments. It is best to accept our limitations and stop pretending. And God will begin to use us.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House, 2003).

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. —1 John 4:4

It is wonderful to know that the devil is subject to God’s authority. So whenever I sense a satanic attack, I think, Well, that’s interesting. But God knows I can take it. The devil can go so far, but only so far. I have discovered too that the devil always attacks me in an area of weakness. But this enables me to strengthen that area, so that the next time around he can’t attack me in that place. I grow in grace because the devil attacks, even though satanic attacks are no fun.

Learn the secret that every satanic attack is with God’s permission and has a purpose. Do you know what Job learned at the very end? It is so thrilling. Job said to the Lord, “I know that … no plan of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2, emphasis added). Indeed, no purpose of God can be threatened because God is more powerful than the devil.

There is never emancipation without conflict. But it is always within the scope of God’s permission. Another thing about the devil is that he is the accuser. You see, the devil will come along and accuse you, and he does this because you did the right thing. The devil wants you to feel stupid. Furthermore, the devil is a liar.

He will always lie to you. The devil will always make you think that you have done the most foolish thing by following Jesus Christ. This is the way he works. He always makes you think you have done something stupid.

Do you want to know how the devil attacks? The devil will use a close relationship to get at you. You would not have thought that the particular person that the devil will use would ever be capable of what they say or do to you. He will play upon the weakness of somebody you trust.

The devil will use that to discourage you. I tell you something that we are all learning: we must put our trust in Jesus Christ alone, because even the best of God’s people, and sometimes those closest to us, will disappoint us sooner or later.

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. —1 John 4:4

It is wonderful to know that the devil is subject to God’s authority. So whenever I sense a satanic attack, I think, Well, that’s interesting. But God knows I can take it. The devil can go so far, but only so far. I have discovered too that the devil always attacks me in an area of weakness. But this enables me to strengthen that area, so that the next time around he can’t attack me in that place. I grow in grace because the devil attacks, even though satanic attacks are no fun.

Learn the secret that every satanic attack is with God’s permission and has a purpose. Do you know what Job learned at the very end? It is so thrilling. Job said to the Lord, “I know that … no plan of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2, emphasis added). Indeed, no purpose of God can be threatened because God is more powerful than the devil.

There is never emancipation without conflict. But it is always within the scope of God’s permission. Another thing about the devil is that he is the accuser. You see, the devil will come along and accuse you, and he does this because you did the right thing. The devil wants you to feel stupid. Furthermore, the devil is a liar.

He will always lie to you. The devil will always make you think that you have done the most foolish thing by following Jesus Christ. This is the way he works. He always makes you think you have done something stupid.

Do you want to know how the devil attacks? The devil will use a close relationship to get at you. You would not have thought that the particular person that the devil will use would ever be capable of what they say or do to you. He will play upon the weakness of somebody you trust.

The devil will use that to discourage you. I tell you something that we are all learning: we must put our trust in Jesus Christ alone, because even the best of God’s people, and sometimes those closest to us, will disappoint us sooner or later.

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. —1 Corinthians 13:2-3

Brokenness refers to the authentic person rather than to an awesome performance. Why is it that Paul says, “I am nothing”? What does he mean? He is showing what he is as a person.

What Paul wants in 1 Corinthians 13 is to show what we are as Christians, as people who have been converted; we are going to heaven, and we are going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of the things done in the body. Is God going to ask us to explain how our gift of prophecy functions or whether people thought we were great preachers? No! We will give an account of the things done in the body. So that the gifts, without brokenness, equal zero.

In these verses, Paul is referring to spiritual gain; without love there is no intimacy with God. John said that our fellowship is with the Father, but if we don’t have love we won’t be having fellowship with the Father; there will be no spiritual gain.

He could also be referring to spiritual progress. The only time we grow spiritually is when what we do is totally hidden from others and only God knows. Then we get the honor that comes only from Him: “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44). Brokenness is when we are content with knowing that He knows. Are you suffering today? God knows. Are you going through a very difficult time? God knows.

What makes the giving of one’s life, of one’s possessions, of value … what makes the gifts effective is brokenness, the slain ego.

Excerpted from Just Love (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1997).

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. —Hebrews 12:11

Chastening ain’t fun (if I may be excused the bad grammar!). The writer of Hebrews acknowledges this. (Surprise, surprise!) Therefore what James calls falling into trials—which we are to consider pure joy—the writer of Hebrews calls being disciplined, which leads to pure joy.

The way you know you are a true child of God is that you experience this unpleasant thing called chastening. It is an evidence that you are truly saved because the Lord disciplines those He loves and punishes those He accepts as a son or daughter (Heb. 12:6). So we could use this syllogism for those who may want to apply it:

1. All who are saved are disciplined, sooner or later (thesis).

2. But I am being disciplined (antithesis).

3. Therefore I am a true child of God (conclusion).

There is an important qualification to the above reasoning—namely, that it works to get your attention, and so you are led to a greater degree of holiness. Otherwise, any person who experiences something unpleasant may glibly conclude that he or she must be a genuine Christian. The syllogism applies only if such painful circumstances result in you seeking the Lord all the more.

The primary purpose of chastening is not to give assurance but to get our attention. God wants to bring us to holiness, Christlikeness, intimacy with God, peace, and joy. God disciplines us when there is a need for Him to have to resort to whatever it is that gets our attention.

Falling into trials or temptation is what God permits, but still by His sovereign design; being chastened is what God does—all because we are loved.

Excerpted from Pure Joy (Charisma House, 2006).

And now I will show you the most excellent way. —1 Corinthians 12:31

Paul’s ultimate purpose was to show exactly what the New Testament means by love and to show if we are like Jesus, what Jesus meant by love. What is this most excellent way?

Love is first to be seen as a demonstration. Paul says, “I will show you the most excellent way.”

It is a demonstration in words: Paul promises to demonstrate the most excellent way by language. By any account it is one of the most sublime pieces of writing on record; even many non-Christians stand in awe of it. These words are the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and they should convict us. I know of a man who read 1 Corinthians 13 every day for a year—on his knees. He was never the same again!

It is also a demonstration of works. We are not saved by works; we are not saved by love; we are saved by faith. Paul is writing to those who are saved. If they will live this way, they will dazzle the world. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

But it is also a demonstration of wisdom. What Paul calls love, James calls wisdom. Why? Possibly because James, a Hebrew, grew up in the wisdom tradition of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. All of the wisdom in the Book of Proverbs can be demonstrated living by love.

It is a demonstration of the will. When I call love a demonstration of the will, I mean it is a choice. Every single one of us can live this way. It doesn’t matter what our IQ is, our age, or our maturity. The Christians at Corinth had been saved for four years, and Paul calls them “childish.” But this is the way to grow up. Love is a choice. We must never wait for a mood or feeling to overwhelm us. That may never come. Love is voluntary, an act of the will—what we deliberately and consciously choose to do.

Excerpted from Just Love (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1997).