Surprised by the Appearances of Love

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What if the truest test of love isn’t how we feel but how long our fuse is—and how near we’re willing to move toward hard people? We dive into 1 Corinthians 13 and sit with two verbs that refuse to be sentimental: love is patient and love is kind. Not patience with things that break, but patience with people who do; not a vague warmth at a distance, but a generosity that crosses the hallway, answers the need, and carries enough “coals” to relight a life.

We unpack the language behind long-fused love, explore why non-retaliation is so radical, and trace how kindness is more than politeness—it’s contact, cost, and concrete help. From a classroom boot fiasco to the cultural story behind “heaping coals,” the episode paints vivid snapshots of agape in action. Patience restrains the reflex to get even; kindness turns restraint into restoration. Along the way, we challenge the easy-out of avoidance and the myth that love can grow on sheer willpower. These traits are fruit of the Spirit, formed in the friction of real relationships, and practiced in public where gratitude isn’t guaranteed.

You’ll leave with a clearer picture of how to endure without exploding and how to bless without being asked, whether it’s the colleague who drains you, the neighbor who wronged you, or the stranger whose need will cost you time. If you’ve been waiting for a practical, soul-searching guide to make love visible—patient in the heat and kind at close range—this conversation will steady your steps. Listen, share with someone who needs hope, and if it helps you, subscribe and leave a review so others can find their way to long-fused love too.

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Stephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback