Today our focus is on one thing love is not – boastful.  Boasting is a manifestation of pride, and pride concerns itself with self – not others.  We can’t truly love our spouse if we are boasting in our selves and what we’ve done or plan to do.  We must look out for the interests of our spouse – what pleases them, what would serve them.  This is how we turn from being boastful and proud to love and serve our spouse.

John Piper says:

Is it not surprising that the opposite of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is not hate but pride. The main category of what love does not do is arrogance (boasting, seeking its own way).

Love is to lay our lives down for someone else – pride refuses such a thought.

Imagine if both of us are loving in this way?  If I look out for what is best for Debi and Debi does the same for me then we are moving towards a God-glorifying marriage.  If I do the opposite and think mostly of my plans and my accomplishments – I am moving away from a God-glorifying marriage.

Doing this is impossible in our own strength; we need God’s help to love our spouse in the way He intends.  This is the only thing in which we are permitted to boast  – our weakness! God loves to help us in our weakness for then He is sure to receive the glory.