In college, I roomed with two other guys. The spiritual one of our group, “Benno” was committed to memorizing the love chapter in preparation for his future wife. So corny, right? Well, my other roommate and I found ourselves sulking like a Taylor Swift song over broken relationships, so we decided to join him. Didn’t think it could get cornier? Picture three college guys reciting the love chapter in unison in the cold darkness of their dorm room.

That story is real – and humiliating. But nearly twenty years removed from those cheeseball days, I still have 1 Corinthians 13 memorized. The words of this chapter have rerouted my hard-hearted marriage moments, have encouraged me in parenting my children, have come in handy when counseling other couples, and have re-established my foundation in Christ when I was questioning my own self-worth. Knowing what love truly is changes the way we give and receive love.

I want you to do two exercises this morning in your time with God. First, I want you to read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 aloud but instead of using the word love, I want you to use your name. Go ahead… do it.

How did that feel? The beauty of the “love chapter” is its ability to so clearly reveal to us what true love is. Are you truly loving? If the answer is yes… great. Keep going (while I ask your spouse). But if you read some of the attributes of love about yourself and knew it didn’t describe you, consider this the test strip indicating what must change.

True love isn’t vacations paid for by a production crew while you attempt to fall in love with 30 people, narrowing it down to the one you propose to, only to break up after when real life hits. True love is patient and kind, it does not envy….

Last tip: Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 again but this time instead of reading “love” insert “Jesus.” This is who your Savior is and how He approaches you. As John said, “We love because He first loved us.” You can be a 1 Corinthians 13 lover (that sounds weird) because Jesus is the embodiment of that love, and Jesus is in you.

Go be love today!