"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:1-13When Brad proposed to me, he quoted the 13 verses of 1 Corithians 13. For every verse he quoted, he gave me a red rose. It was a beautiful way to begin our commitment to each other; the perfect foundation for marriage.
You're probably familiar with verses 4-8. But have you ever thought about the 1st 3 verses? Thirteen years ago when he proposed, I didn't recall reading those 3 little verses before. Perhaps I had read them but glossed over them to get to the familiar verses about Love. I don't really know. But ever since that amazing day, the Lord has brought these 3 verses to my mind time and time again. At first they were confusing and not personal to me ...I don't speak in tongues, I don't have the gift of prophecy, it's unlikely I will surrender my body to the flames. I knew that God's Word is timeless and applicable to me in every way but how did this apply to my life? Over the years the Lord has revealed little by little how his words do indeed apply to my life.
I'm a bottom line kind of person so here it is: Whatever I do or say or think must be with the Love of Jesus Christ. If it is not, I may as well not do, say, or think it. Do you want your life to matter? Then do all that you do with and through the Love of Jesus Christ.
The Biblical examples start small (speaking) and get big (death). The text begs the question, do I act out of routine and duty and expectations or because I Love Jesus Christ? Over the past 12+ years of marriage have I made dinner for my family out of Love or because it's expected? Do I seek to honor God and Love my family by making their meals or do I do it because it's my responsibility? My honest answer? Because I'm a rule follower and that's what moms do. We make dinner for our husband and kids. Convicting, isn't it?
It applies to other things too. Do I dress to honor my Savior or to look cute and impress my friends? Do I make the beds, clean the toilets, teach my children about the Lord and go to church (yes, even christian things can be done out of duty and habit), hang out with my friends, grocery shop, serve in the moms' ministry at church that I'm involved in, etc. because I Love Jesus or because I have to or want to?
All 3 verses start with "If I ..." and end with "but have not love..." I don't want to sound like a clanging symbol when I talk. How annoying! How offensive to those around me! I don't want to study and read and gain intelligence for nothing. Do you? Verse 2 says if I'm not using my brain for Christ's love, "I am nothing."
Do you give to charity? Do you volunteer? Do you know that no matter how much money you give or how much time you give to your local crisis pregnancy center or homeless shelter, if you do it without Jesus' love, you gain nothing. So what if you feed the mouth of your sponsored child in Equador. Yes, it is wonderful that he has food to eat but are you praying for him and sharing about Jesus as you do it? What if he has food on earth but spends eternity separated from God?
But how do we do that? How do we do it all with Christ's Love? Read on... the rest of the verses describe what Love means, how to actually do it. This Love is so different from the world's definition. To help me to remember to Love, I wrote out the key words from verses 4-8 and put them on a sticky in my car where I can see them: patient, kind, not envious, no boasting, not proud, not rude, not selfish, not easily angered, no grudges, delights in truth not evil, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, never fails. It's hard to yell at my arguing kids in the back seat while staring at a Bible verse!
Over and over Love is emphasized in this chapter. The chapter even ends with the statement, "But the greatest of these is Love." I have been so convicted lately of not Loving my family, friends, neighbors, peers, etc. how God commands me to Love. If I am to Love my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and Love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:37-39) then this is how I must do it.
Let's go Love as Christ Loves us.
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