Do you withhold your love and affection from your family or friends until they comply with your demands? I once read about a billionaire who used his wealth to control his family. He subtly threatened to disinherit them if they did not give in to his whims and fancies, no matter how unreasonable they were. Some bowed to his demands, but others chose to walk away, unwilling to suffer the humiliation of losing their dignity.

Love is not self-seeking.

1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

 

The Greek word for “seek” is zēteō which means “to crave, to demand and to strive after.” It conveys the image of a cunning and scheming individual who manipulates people to get what he wants and will not stop until he gets it.

God is not some kind of divine megalomaniac. He does not force us to worship Him as if He is insecure about Himself. We love and worship because God is most deserving of praise (Psalm 48:1). Worthy means "to give weight or value to someone or something". It is often used in the context of returning a compliment or recognising a good deed. In this sense, when we worship God, we are acknowledging and appreciating what He has done for us in Christ.

We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Simultaneously, we do not worship or serve God for Him to do something for us. There is no need for us to plot or scheme for what He has graciously and freely given us in Christ. Instead of being self-seeking, Christ calls us to seek earnestly His kingdom and its righteousness (Matthew 6:33), and out of His love, He promises to provide us more than we need.