Love Is Not Easily Provoked
Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
(Love) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, (Love) is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
We are studying Thee Person of Love which is God Himself. We are learning that certain attributes of God need to be present in His Children so that we can accurately represent Jesus Christ the Blessed Son of God. We have also learned that certain negative behaviors are not a part of God’s Nature nor are a part of God’s Plan for man. In a previous lesson we spoke of God not being “ill-mannered” or “acting inappropriately” and another thing we talked about is God not being “Selfish”. In today’s lesson we shall review (see) that God is not “easily provoked”. Some people will think of not being “easily provoked” to anger. Which is one interpretation of this verse because we should never be easily angered. This means people who are quick tempered need to mature in God. It is not alright to quickly lash out at people who say something you don’t like. Shouldn’t we think (righteously) before we speak and shouldn’t we pray to know how to think (believe)? Nor is it right to respond back to people in anger just because they were angry when they spoke to you. Having a quick temper just means you are ruled by your flesh because the flesh (which is inspired by the nature of the devil) is very boisterous and likes to have all things done its way. The flesh can always justify shouting or acting rude and being angry if the other person acts inappropriately. We have heard people say right after they told someone off, “They had it coming, who do they think they are talking to me that way?” The flesh or we could say carnal minded people will be easily offended and one form of offense is anger and a greater measure of anger will lash out at people and even deeper still, anger to deepest existence will lash out against God (just as satan rebels against God today). This describes just one side of “provocation” but there is more to provocation then just anger. The word “Provoke” has several different meanings, 1) to anger, 2) to vex, 3) to stir-up or bring up, 4) to call forth, 5) to incite or we could say entice and 6) to induce. These several meanings are simply pointing out that “provoke” is definitely more than just anger. Someone could “provoke” you to run a race with them simply because your ego (pride) is at stake. Yes, if you are “not easily provoked” you could look them right in the eyes and deny their challenge because you know God is not a fan of comparison and having competition with one another. If someone wants to run let them and they can race against the clock if they are looking for competition. In another case which we (ihlcc) must say is common, someone could “provoke” you to go shopping with them. This means you were not planning on going shopping with them because you had other plans but their persistence in asking “provoked” you to a yes response. Now, we know that love puts the other person first but to be pushed (provoked, persuaded) into doing something that is against your own heart is ungodly. People should operate in love and as soon as they sense that you are going in another direction they should let you go happily on your way. However this doesn’t always happen because people want to push their own agenda even when it includes you. Yes, people will “provoke” you if you let them. In another example you can’t let the little (immature) child “provoke” you to buy something they want when it is not on your list of things to buy. Sometimes we have seen parents do this in anger and we have also seen parents do this without being upset just to keep little Johnny or Sally quiet, either way it not God. Now looking at the larger picture of “provocation” we can clearly understand why “God is not easily provoked”. One minister said, “If God hastily responded to every requested we said we would never learn to worship God for who He Is because we would spend all our time on what we could get from God next”. This might not sound good but it is so true for the carnal Christian displaying the nature of the flesh. God is not our puppet on a string who immediately responses to us when we say God I need this or that. Likewise, we should not be a puppet on a string to those around us when they try to “provoke” a certain response. Yes, we should “not be easily provoked” to anger because anger can lead to hurts and pains (in our self and others) if not properly removed by the Love of God. We also should not be “provoked” to a response that goes against our better judgment or our heart. As Christians we should always look to respond as God would respond. We should respond with forethought and love we should not just respond in haste and/or harshness. We (ihlcc) can remember on one occasion where a manager wanted something (an answer, a commitment) that moment (the second he asked for it) at a meeting and we didn’t know the correct answer at that time. We politely told (not asked) the provoked manager we needed two days to get a correct answer and didn’t budge. To make a long story short, the “provoked” manager could not “provoke” us to a hasty response so they waited the allowed two days and the right answer (commitment) was given in peace with some patience. This is God Will and operating in peace and patience is God’s Way so don’t allow yourself to be “easily provoked” because when you do you are not acting like Jesus and He (The Lord) is the reason we follow our loving and wise leader into acting like God. Why, oh child of God, should we allow a “provoked” person’s influence on us to make us “provoked”. For those who practice haste generally make waste and those who act to fast are usually rash in their decisions. For those that are moved by the wind can never make a sure foundation of rock which means they can never be a rock like the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!