What does 1 Corinthians 13:5 mean?

Paul is describing what is so deeply lacking in the Corinthian church: true, Christ-like love. This missing ingredient is at the heart of nearly every problem the church is facing. Paul describes love as a series of actions verbs, seven positive and seven negative. These define the character of godly, self-sacrificing love, from the Greek term agape.

Love is not rude. To be rude is to act "indecently." Rudeness was on display in the church in Corinth in their disorderly worship services and selfish communion meals (1 Corinthians 11:17–22), as well as in the man who was sleeping with his father's wife (1 Corinthians 5:1–2). Rudeness insists on self-expression and self-gratification at the expense of the feelings and experience of others.

Love does not insist on its own way. It is not self-seeking. Love yields. Much of the Corinthian church's problems would have disappeared if they focused on looking for ways to meet each other's needs before satisfying their own.

Love is not irritable or easily angered. A quick temper is often evidence of viewing other people as obstacles to reaching one's own goals. Love views serving other people as the goal itself, removing one reason to flare up when they get in our way.

Love is not resentful. It does not keep a record of wrongs. Natural human instinct is to keep score, to get even, to hold on to hurt feelings against those who have mistreated us. Christlike love follows the pattern of Ephesians 4:32, recognizing the great sin God has forgiven in us through Christ and turning to do the same for those who sin against us.