Yardsticks of Love
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Genuine Love
Statistics and Issues in Marriage
- Study on Marriage by Dr. James Peterson
- A study of couples married for at least 20 years
- Conclusion: Only 6 out of 100 couples are happily married
- Issues Leading to Disillusionment in Marriage
- Common reasons for marital dissatisfaction and divorce
- Cultural preparation for marriage is more negative than positive
Key Decisions in Life
- Three Determinative Decisions in Life
- Decision concerning one’s master
- Decision concerning one’s mission
- Decision concerning one’s mate
Preparation for Marriage
- Ideal Preparation for Marriage
- Importance of home environment in preparing for marriage
- Role of parents in modeling proper relationships for children
Family Dynamics and Child Development
- Role Modeling by Parents
- Fathers modeling masculinity and headship for sons
- Mothers modeling femininity for daughters
- Balance in parental relationships and their impact on children
- Impact of Family Dynamics on Homosexuality
- Hostile, detached, passive fathers and dominant, smothering mothers as factors
- Prevention through balanced and loving parental relationships
Elements of True Love
- Characteristics of True Love
- Responsiveness to the Total Self: Love as a response to the whole person, not just physical attraction
- Reverence in Relationship: Developing a sacredness in the relationship
- Self-Giving Nature: True love involves selflessness and enrichment of the other
- Acceptance of Responsibility: Willingness to take responsibility as well as joy
- Commitment: Emphasizing commitment and viewing divorce as not an option
- Joy in Company and Pain in Separation: Enjoying each other's company and feeling pain in separation
- Mutual Enjoyment without Constant Physical Expression: Enjoying presence without the need for constant physical expression
- Protective Attitude: Desire to protect and shield the loved one
- Feeling of Belongingness: Identifying oneself with the other person
- Understanding and Commonality: Shared values and understanding each other well
- Dynamic Growth and Christ-likeness: Growing in love and becoming more like Christ
Practical Application
- Practical Exercise Using 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
- Replacing "love" with "Christ" and then personal names to evaluate one's love and character
Summary and Prayer
- Emphasizing God’s role in transforming human experiences and relationships
- Prayer for learning and embodying genuine love
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
