Midweek Musing- 4/29/26

I came home the other day, and the TV was already on. As I sat down, I realized I hadn’t grabbed the remote from all the way across the room. Being lazy I sat waiting for the commercials to end and hoped I would like what was on so I could stay put.

It didn’t take long to realize it was Wedding Crashers the surprising mid-2000’s box office success. Now this movie is not what you’d call a theological experience.

And yet in the middle of it well … there it was.

Right in the middle of the movie, I heard words I knew by heart. Words from 1st Corinthians. Words from Paul the Apostle:

“Love is patient, love is kind…”

It made me smile. Of all the places to hear Paul’s description of love, that was not it.

But those words stuck with me and later after I got up from my recliner, I grabbed a Bible and read it. And this time the text hit me different.

I realized what Paul offers here isn’t abstract theology floating somewhere up in the clouds. It’s not just something to admire it’s something to practice. Everyday, practical, lived-out love.

And when you start thinking about it that way…especially after watching a ridiculous comedy it can get a little funny.

“Love is patient”… like when someone scrolls through every show ever created and still says, “There’s nothing to watch.” Or patiently listening to a story that could have been two minutes but somehow takes almost twenty.

“Love is kind”… like choosing encouragement when sarcasm is sitting right there ready to go. Or letting someone else have the last cookie… even though you had already claimed it in your heart.

“Love does not envy”… like celebrating someone else’s good news without immediately comparing it to your own.Or being genuinely happy for a friend even when they now have the office or classroom with an actual window.

“Love does not boast”… like helping out without being asked and not immediately working it into a conversation to get someone to congratulate you.

Or unloading and loading the dishwasher without announcing, “You’re welcome,” to no one in particular.

“Love is not proud”… like saying, “I might have been wrong,” and actually meaning it.

Or asking for help instead of pretending you’ve got it all under control.

“Love is not rude”… like holding your tongue when you really want to comment on someone’s driving.

Or replying to a frustrating email with grace instead of your first draft.

“Love is not self-seeking”… like giving credit to the entire team even when you did the majority of the work. Or choosing what’s best for the group over what’s easiest for you.

“Love is not easily angered”… like taking a breath before reacting when things don’t go your way…or not saying what you’d like when the kids forget to call to check in.

“Love keeps no record of wrongs”… like not bringing up that one thing from three years ago that would definitely help you win the argument. Or letting go of the little things instead of collecting them.

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth”… like practicing honesty even when it’s uncomfortable. Or choosing what is right instead of what is easy.

“Love always protects”… checking in on someone who might need it.

“Love always trusts”… believing the best about others.

“Love always hopes”… holding on to the possibility of good.

“Love always perseveres”… continuing to show up, again and again, in small, faithful ways.

The more I sat with Paul’s words, the more I realized: love is not abstract. It’s a thousand small choices we make every day. Some are meaningful. Some are simple. Some are even a little funny.

I know you have your own examples—honestly, you could probably write your own musing.

But I hope this gets us thinking… love isn’t just something we believe in. It’s something we do. Something we practice.

Now unlike most of my musings, where I don’t expect a response, this time I’m going to make an exception.

If you have some ideas of what love looks like in your everyday life, especially the funny ones, please feel free to “reply all.”

I would truly love to hear some of the ways you, and we together, can practice love