We move, in the latter half of 1 Corinthians 13:4 and into v. 5, from what love is to what love does. The Apostle lays out for us in exquisite detail how love behaves, how it responds to those with whom it is engaged.

What we discover, once again, is just how desperately we need the God who "is love" to refashion our hearts in our Master's image, how desperately we need the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. His "fruit" does not "envy" the achievements of others, "boast" or brag about itself, isn't "proud" or arrogant, is never "rude," tactless or graceless, never "self-seeking" or self-promoting, and is not easily exasperated.

Wheeewwwww! Got all that? Now, you tell me... do we need God in this endeavor or what? Only He can love like this. And we can only give what we have first received. Come, Lord Jesus, and ravish us with your love!