Love Is Not Conceited

Love is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride) (ou physiOUtai) Original Greek Definition: To inflate, blow or puff up. In the NT spoken only figuratively of pride or self-conceit. Also from phySAo-:emphySAo- (1720), to breathe on, blow on.

Before we get into this section of Love, I wanted to share something from Calvin. "Nothing swells the minds of men so much as a high notion of their own wisdom."

We, Christians, know that all REAL Wisdom is of God (from God). Anything that is REALLY Good is from God. So, how is it, that we have to be told that Love is NOT Conceited.

Phil 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Do we forget the truth sometimes and actually think that we are better than anyone here on this planet? Did your coming to Christ at the age of 36 make you better than the unsaved 24 year old that you can't even say hello to? And where do I get off thinking that just because the Lord has shown me the TRUTH about LOVE, that I might be a master at it... EVER!

Its a really scary thing. This thing CONCEIT must be really deep inside us. Somewhere ugly and hard to find.

When it does surface, its destructive force can cause more damage than you can imagine. Think about this. In order for you to think that you are better than someone... At some point, before, you must have thought you were really special, first.

The Bible calls that PRIDE. So, conceit is the fruit of pride.

This Pride in self leads to presumption, which is offensive to God and man. When men conceive the idea that they are wise, then they are unwilling to look to God for wisdom. They follow their own conceits. Most of the failures in religion and in business come from too high an estimate of one's self.

This was the failure of one of the most beautiful of Gods creatures, Lucifer.... Now Satan. In II Corinthians 12 we find Paul's experience with pride and conceit and a key to getting help with it. Paul explains the meaning of boasting about his weaknesses (12:7-10). Look at verse 7.

"7. To keep me from being conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."

The word "thorn" shows that he must have suffered from it continually. Many scholars suggest that the thorn was eye disease. The word "messenger of Satan" reveals that his disease did not come from natural causes. It was inflicted by Satan within the bounds of God's permission (rf. Job). Why was it given? To keep him from becoming conceited. Many people who experience mysterious revelations suffer from spiritual pride.

Then they become useless to God and even damaging to God's people and work. NOTE: This was an encouraging warning to me because of the leading of God in my life to share this teaching on love. God loved Paul deeply. So he allowed him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan. We have a tendency to become proud when we receive God's blessings.

At those times, our enemy is not outside, but inside; it is pride. When we receive God's blessings, we have to guard against inner pride, and learn Jesus' humility to the core. Otherwise, we become useless. So, in this teaching from Paul, we see the power HUMILITY has in guarding against conceit and even Gods hand if necessary to keep us from it.

"9. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

After realizing God's way of working, Paul's attitude toward weaknesses was completely changed. Now he wanted to boast about his weaknesses all the more gladly so that Christ's power might rest on him. In verse 10 he said,

"10. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties."

For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Many people boast about their strength, wisdom, wealth and success. They don't want to expose their weaknesses, failures or poverty. But when Paul realized their true meaning, he could boast about his weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the sake of Christ. A spirit of humility and dependence on God. That will help us to Love Gods way.

Love is not conceited.

I love you.