Patience and kindness

1 Corinthians 13:4 "Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud."

JP always mentions the importance of "firsts" or what is mentioned first in Scripture should be given special attention because it is first.  So...the question is.....why is patience and kindness given first place in the definition of love?

Patience is defined as:  the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.

Kindness is defined as: the quality of being friendly, generous or considerate OR
as in the Urban Dictionary....the act of going out of your way to be nice to 
someone or show a person you care.

Upon further research, I found that when looking for patience in other Scripture passages, the concept of perseverance and endurance were close companions. One then can make the connection that patience, is not about just the "capacity to accept or tolerate delay" but about perseverance....the enduring....extending over (sometimes) a LONG period of time....even through undesirable or unpleasant circumstances.

So...why is patience and kindness required first for love? More importantly, what does this tell us about our loving God?

Patience and kindness, in all honestly, flies in the face of pride.  We want to be heard.  We want our own way, NOW.  We do not want to wait.    We do not understand why we have to wait and we do NOT see why waiting or being nice to someone will help at all.  Least of all, how it will help US!!  This is contradictory to the way all of us are wired organically.

 Love....putting patience and kindness first.... requires putting the other persons' needs and wants before our own. Persevering and enduring through time, even though we don't get what we want. This asks that we believe that loving....giving up controlling the circumstances....for the good of another, is what REAL love is about.  Actively giving up our pride and trusting that there is good where we are. Widening our view beyond ourselves to graciously include others and look at them first. 

Lastly, if this is what God has required of us when it comes to love, I know that means that's WHO He is and how He will love us...with patience and kindness.  Now that gives hope....God persevering and enduring my mess ups...not giving up on me....looking at my needs first and giving unending grace.  Now that's hope. 

Thank you LORD for being a GOD of love....having patience and kindness being number one!