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“(Love) does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5

Even if you’re not digging into God’s Word regularly, you’ve probably attended a wedding (maybe even your own) where 1 Corinthians 13 was read—it’s the familiar love chapter. In these verses, the apostle Paul describes what “agape” love looks like. Agape is one of the many Greek words for love and connotes an unconditional, choice-driven love for others. And it’s a very big ask for us sin-laden humans.

Although the entire chapter delivers a depth and breadth of meaning that could—and has—filled books, I want to home in on one little phrase that packs a huge punch: “it (love) keeps no record of wrongs.”

This inherently carries with it the exhortation to forgive. And the Bible has a lot to say about this topic (Eph 4:23, Mark 11:25, Matt 6:15, Col 3:13—just to name a few). But avoiding recordkeeping, well, that takes it to another level: it demands that we forgive and forget. You may be thinking, “Yeah, that’s not for me…how can I ever win an argument if the hatchet I buried long ago doesn’t have the handle easily accessible, so I can grab it and swing as needed?”

Sister, if you are a Christ-follower, saved by faith through the amazing grace of Jesus, your record is clean and clear. When you recognized that your sin separated you from God, and you believed that Jesus paid the price of restoration, all your sins were forgiven (past, present, and future). More than that, they are forgotten (Jer 31:34, Hebrews 8:12)—God does not bring them up again. (Satan will, but that’s another story altogether.) When God opens His record book to your name, the countless items that should be there are gone, erased by the blood of Jesus. Your record, and mine, has been expunged.

As Christians, we are called to walk through this world taking intentional steps to be more like Jesus. This includes loving others with agape love. It means forgiving your husband and not tucking the incident away for an opportune time to pull it out. It’s recognizing the Lord’s new mercies toward us every morning (Lam 3:22-23) and extending that to our children, friends, and coworkers. It means burying the entire hatchet—no digging up allowed.

Our record is clean, thanks to Jesus. And we’ve been given the Holy Spirit to help us forgive—and forget—in the same way. I’m not saying it’s easy…but how about it? Let’s grab our own proverbial pencil and start erasing those lists we’ve been keeping.

“Lord, thank You for the forgiveness (and “forgetness”) that You extend to me. Help me love more like you every day.”

For His Glory

Julianne Winkler Smith
TRBC Women’s Life