Love’s Attributes, Part 2

by Kathie Johnson

My previous column, in the May/June Touchstone, was about books that might be used in the study of the famous “love” passage of the Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 13. In that column, I included books on some of the positive qualities of love—hope, patience, and kindness. In this column, I’d like to list a few books that illustrate some negative qualities—those things that are not part of what love looks like. Children can often connect with these stories and tell their own, allowing for discussion of why the characteristics displayed are not loving and what are better ways of behaving. I’ll finish with some general books on love.

Not Jealous or Boastful

“Love is never jealous [or envious],” writes St. Paul. St. Francis and the Proud Crow, by Bernadette Watts, tells the story of a crow who sees a canary in a beautiful golden cage and is jealous. He asks St. Francis for a house, and the saint complies, but eventually the crow realizes he doesn’t like being in a cage. A sparrow takes pity on him and asks St. Francis if he can take the crow’s place.

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Kathie Johnson has always had a love for children's books. She collected many as a teacher and began sharing them with other teachers. In 1986, she opened a children's library in her home, and it has continued to expand over the years. Many home-schooled and schooled children borrow books from it, and she takes great pleasure in finding the "right" book for a child. She attends First Presbyterian Church in Berkeley.

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