So this is love!

I Cor. 13:5&6 Love, Gods love in us, does not insist on its own rights or its own way for it is not self-seeking.

Don’t you dare talk to me that way---don’t you ever treat me like that again!!! These are rights that sound reasonable to say or feel in the midst of certain circumstances, or in the presence of certain people.
If we allow this thought process to have its way in our minds, will, and emotions—if we allow this fleshly thinking to have any root in us at all, we oppose the law of love. Gods love does not insist on any rights. The question is-- where do we draw the line so we do not become trampled underfoot by others whims and desires? Well, to tell the truth, we don’t. He does. The secret is to learn to recognize the voice of God so we are only about the Fathers business. Jesus was surrounded by need and did not meet every one He saw. What he did do was whatever the Father told Him to do. This needs to be our mindset. When we are about the Father’s business He takes care of us and protects and defends us. He draws that line in the sand for us. It is imperative to be able to hear God’s voice and follow it and not be distracted by a need before us or a desire to run away from a situation because it is uncomfortable. When we know just what he is saying we will know just what our responses should be. If we are looking for a quick pat answer that will always be the default response in kingdom living we will be sorely disappointed. People and situations vary so we must attune ourselves to the sound of God. What does this sound like? His sound can strike the chord of peace in situations. His sound can strike the dissonant tones that create a tempest. His sound is always rooted in love, and will never cause us to be insistent about our rights. His sound does not look to appease self. His sound is patience and kindness, forgiveness and grace. His sound is righteousness, truth, and justice. When we know what He sounds like, instead of being run roughshod over, we will be the ones in control, like Jesus was with Pilate, and we will choose to lay our life down. It will be a choice we make, not something we are forced to do---compelled by love alone. We do not hand over our power to another person--no---we hand it over to God Himself, and then we walk in the power and authority of the choice we made to surrender to Him. Whether He leads us to turn over the money changers tables or leads us like a lamb going to the slaughter opening not our mouths, we are not under the control of any person. We have maintained our control and position by relinquishing it to God.
In 1Corinthians 13, love is defined. God calls us to operate in all of it—not just the portion of love we are willing to dole out to ‘deserving persons’. Real love costs us our lives. When we surrender to love, we surrender our rights. We surrender all our expectations, all our hopes and dreams. We surrender all our ways of doing and thinking, of acting and reacting. When we surrender, we replace self seeking with God seeking. We must look beyond our needs and wants, beyond our desires, and rights, and lay them down. You will find what has just been laid down will in fact create the bridge needed to span the chasm between His kingdom living and our lives. Transformation is a crossing over from our living to His Life. We cross over on that bridge of surrender. The slats on that bridge are formed when we lay down our will, desires, rights, knowledge, experience, emotions, education, expectations…..and only when we lay them all down can the way be formed for us that will lead to our true destiny. And what is that?—to impart life through His love.
This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and GAVE HIMSELF. Let us therefore go and do likewise.