WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND LOVE?

"Brad is patient, Brad is kind, Brad is not envious; Brad does not brag and is not arrogant; Brad does not act unbecomingly; Brad does not seek his own; Brad is not provoked; Brad does not take into account a wrong suffered; Brad does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; Brad bears all things; Brad believes all things; Brad hopes all things; Brad endures all things. Brad never fails." 

-1Cor. 13:4-8, with my name substituted for love

The above is absurd. It would still be absurd if you put your name in the place of mine. Put Jesus' name for mine and suddenly it is not only not absurd, but becomes real and life-giving. This points us to realize that love is about Jesus and not about us. If you are a Christian, then the love of God has been poured out in your heart through the Holy Spirit who was given to you. (Romans 5:5)

This passage is not a command, but rather a description of the fruit of love--perfectly consistent fruit. The command, which comes 6 verses later (in 14:1), is: pursue love. We all are called to not resist this love which is in our hearts. In the moment that you are pursuing love, the fruit of love flows out of you like a mighty river and you look like the above.

The question is: how does a weak person like you pursue love? How do you not resist love? Is it by

• focusing on proper behavior (the above description of love), 
• will power (choosing to do the above description of love) , 
• commitment (committing to do the above description of love), 
• making vows (vowing to be like the above description of love), 
• denying your human desires and following Jesus in having only God's desire (and thus doing the description of love), 
• considering life from God's perspective, that only moral perfection is good? 

Below is Fyodor Dostoevsky's short declaration about love. I find in his statement that each word is carefully placed and each is full of meaning. Ponder each word and especially probe the word see (perceive). Also, meditate on what God intended each person to be. 

"To love a person means to see him as God intended him to be."