If we are going to talk about love – the love we have for one another, the love we have for God, the love God has for us – then we really need to gain an understanding of what love is all about. At almost every wedding you will hear the reading of “The Love Chapter” – 1 Corinthians 13. It is Paul summing up a beautiful definition of love.
We are familiar with the words of Paul on love. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. That seems to be the meat of the love message. And so we overlook what he has to say at the beginning of this message of love.
What abilities does he mention? What attitude does he talk about? What does all of this amount to if we do not have love?
These opening statements in 1 Corinthians 13 lay the foundation of the importance of love. Paul talks about wonderful and noble qualities that a person or a church might possess. Speaking in the tongues of men and angels could be a description of any person or group of people who are able to say compassionate and loving things. We as Christians and as a church may “say” the right things about loving and caring for others.
But if we do not actually possess the ability to love, if we cannot live out love and see that love goes beyond ourselves and our tight circle of friends, then we really have nothing.
If we have all knowledge, if we are brilliant thinkers, if we have faith, or at least claim and believe we have faith we may feel very good about ourselves. We are great people. But if we do not possess the ability to care for others, especially strangers and people we may not like, then we have nothing.
Love is more than being patient and kind. It is more than being humble and selfless. Love must be at the core of what we do. And we must see that if we will truly love everyone, if we will love the way God wants us to love, we must be willing to live that love in all we do.
And living love will take us beyond the familiar that we know and beyond the places where we find comfort. And if we really love we will accept and embrace this adventure of loving.
DAILY CHALLENGE: Will you take on a new way of sharing love?
