The Bible describes love primarily in how it behaves or acts. In doing so, it necessarily addresses how love does not behave as well. The Scriptures tell us love “is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil” (I Corinthians 13:5). At the risk of oversimplifying, if I am easily provoked or given to thinking evil, my behavior is not loving and cannot be of God or pleasing to God. The Scripture calls that sin.
What does it mean to be easily provoked? The phrase used in Scripture means to be inclined to readily argue or debate. Often this kind of behavior arises from a need to be always right. This person’s view on any matter is correct and, consequently, to be agreed upon by all. We have all been engaged with those who need to control the conversation so that their viewpoint is both heard and embraced. But truthfully, none of us is exempt from such behavior. We are all given over to it to one degree or another and it is only by the grace of God that we are delivered from such an evil inclination.
There is another area of life common to all where such an inclination to argue or debate shows itself. Those who are prone to this kind of behavior do not take instruction well. They chafe at the instruction of those in authority. Note that our definition emphasizes a readiness to argue or debate. Authority requires this person’s submission, but inside there is a readiness to argue. He (or she) thinks he knows better than those in charge which results in a half-hearted obedience. Love is not easily provoked. Are you?
Paul continues with his instruction by reminding his audience that love “thinketh no evil.” To think evil in this sense is to presuppose evil to others actions or motives. Love does not do that. Think of all the arguments, strivings, and malicious behavior that could be prevented if we simply chose to not think evil. It is a choice. Someone may say something to us or we hear from someone else what was said (or done) and our first response is to ascribe evil motives or intentions to the individual. We have all been there and done that – everyone of us! But we can choose to not give ourselves over to that by the grace of God.
Being easily provoked or thinking evil are common practices among us all. But such practices are sin in the eyes of God. We cannot dispense with them by saying that’s just the way I am. It is indeed the way we are, but it is not the way God wants us to be. Christ died that he might deliver us from our sins and these sins include thinking evil of others as well as being argumentative. May we not grow insensitive to those ungodly behaviors that are so routinely a practice of our human nature. John gives the right response, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).
From the Chaplain 