*Text: I Cor. 13: 1*
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal”
The message of the apostle Paul in this passage is simply that spiritual gift as good and as valuable as it is, is nothing without love. It is a basic truth that many take for granted because they believe that they are already walking in love, yet a close observation of their lifestyle and relationship with others show clearly that love is absent.
Any study on the biblical view of love will not be exhaustive if it does not consider the Apostle Paul’s extensive exposition of the subject in 1 Corinthians 13. This passage is very popular and a favorite for many people. Our familiarity with it however can blind us to how short we fall of this standard for love if we are not careful. The kind of love described in 1 Cor. 13 is agape love, God’s unconditional love, God’s own kind of love, which of course is never anything other than perfect. God’s love is always kind, patient, truthful and so forth, manifesting every quality Apostle Paul ascribed to love in his epistle to the Corinthians. Moreover the love of God demonstrates these characteristics flawlessly, unfortunately however, our attempt to love in this manner, never measures up.
Why do we find it difficult to express this God kind of love? One of the reason is that we do not make it a priority as it should be. Though it is the chief of all Christian virtues, we often ignore love and use our gifts destructively in the body of Christ, just like the Corinthians did. Jealousy consumes us, and we continually put ourselves ahead of others. Our text teaches us that though we are extraordinarily gifted we gain nothing if we do not have love. Using the gifts of God without showing love to others only proves that we have a serious character flaw that needs urgent attention.
Examine yourself now? Do you make love your priority? What is your motivation for the things you do? Is it love or something else? Is it more important for you to be right when you argue with your spouse, or do you seek to treat your spouse with love, no matter what is going on? Jesus Himself says that love for God and neighbor are the most important commandments and that it is on this that the law and prophets depend (Matt. 22: 40).
If love is not a priority for you, repent today and take necessary steps to nurture and grow the love of God in your life. Shalom.
Prayer Points
1. Father thank you for your unconditional love for me and thank you for enriching my life with this type of love.
2. Father, please forgive me for occasions when I have failed to love as I should
3. Father you have called me to love, may every seed of hatred in me die in Jesus name
4. Father let your seed of genuine unconditional love grow in my life in Jesus name
5. Father may love be the motivation behind all of my actions within and outside the church in Jesus name.
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