Is that Love?

Is this love?

    SCRIPTURE: “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;” 1 Corinthians 13:5

Introduction

Have you ever been hurt by the very person who claims to love you? Recently, we watched as Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green was suspended for striking his teammate Jordan Poole during practice. That moment of anger – caught on camera for the world to see – damaged trust between two teammates who were supposed to be united in purpose. What strikes me most about this situation isn't just the physical blow, but how quickly relationships can fracture when emotions override love. Green later apologized, saying, "I failed as a man, as a leader." His words remind us that claiming to love someone means nothing if our actions speak differently. What happened in that practice facility happens in our homes, workplaces, and yes, even our churches – moments when anger, pride, or selfishness masquerade as love.

But we must also confront an even more troubling reality: the rising instances of domestic violence in our communities, often committed in the name of love. Far too many homes are places of fear rather than safety, with cycles of control, harm, and apology repeating behind closed doors. The pain caused by someone who claims to love you is not limited to celebrities or teammates—it's a heartbreaking truth lived every day by neighbors, friends, and even members of our churches. We see relationships in which “I love you” is spoken with the same mouth that delivers insults, threats, or blows, and in which apologies are used to keep people trapped rather than to bring true repentance and change. We cannot ignore or excuse abuse, no matter how much love is professed in words, and we must be willing to protect, support, and stand with those who are suffering in silence.

The Bible speaks directly to this struggle in 1 Corinthians 13:5, where the Apostle Paul teaches that true love "is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." This passage forces us to....

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