What about Love?
Dianne Nicome
1 Corinthians 13:1–7 (KJV 1900):
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
According to britanica.com, charity in Christian thought is the highest form of love, signifying the reciprocal love between God and Man that is made manifest in the unselfish love of one’s fellow man.
After perusing many scholarly topics on this message, I realize that in the end, all that matters to God as alluded to in 1John 4:7-8, is that we love one another. Our salvation journey began because of love ( John 3:16), and it will culminate in answered questions about love ( Matt.25:34-40).
One may say what does giving food, clothing, drink, shelter, etc have to do with love?
everything! 1 Cor. 13:4 tells us we can bestow all of our goods to feed the poor, but have no love, it amounts to nothing.
My question to us all is, what does this mean to you and I?
I submit it to everyone that God requires the Beatitudes attitude from His children, you can go to ( Matt. 5:3-12) and look it up in your spare time. Let’s just travel between these two passages of scripture for a brief moment.
1 Cor. 13:4 warns of being puffed up, entreats us to be long-suffering and kind, and Matthew 5:3 in the beatitudes speak of
the poor in spirit being blessed. Ps.34:18 offers an example of being poor in spirit, mentioning the Lord’s attitude towards those who possess a spirit of contrition, one of being sorry for something, whether it be sin, making a mistake, hurting others etc. He saves those with this type of spirit, so if we do not possess this type of spirit, then what? It may be that we would lack the blessing attributed to this positioning.
If we’re not willing to apologize if we were wrong, if we think we’re big enough and important enough to be puffed up, what might be God’s attitude towards us?
Another quick example: 1 Cor. 13:5, love does not behave itself unseemly, does not seek her own, can point us to Matt.5:5, blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. I submit that we ought to look out for each other, even if everything does not go as we desired, as a meek and humble approach pleases God and He approves of this. By the way, He hates pride and arrogance, and He calls sowing discord among brethren an abomination ( Prov. 6:16- 19).
When you read, please pay attention to verses 14-15.
I’m encouraging us all to remember that we may speak with the tongues of angels, prophesy, have mountain-removing faith, exegete, be the best at apologetic and critical research, but if we cannot love each other, it all amounts to nothing.
If someone, a brother or sister etc, approached a situation in the wrong way, as leaders, what is the appropriate response? Is it Matt. 18: 3-4, or is it ‘who do they think they are?’ Love is supposed to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things, according to 1COR.13:7, but then maybe that was back then, you know, when Jesus was preaching, He doesn’t know what we have to deal with today!
Lastly, when Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother who sinned against him, Jesus himself said, “I say not unto thee, until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.” Literally speaking, without all the different types of interpretive measures, this amounts to 490. In today’s world, not happening! If you messed with me once or twice, okay… but 10 times, please, enough is enough!
We need to remember that God has committed to us the word of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5:19, He was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing trespasses unto them, we have the ability to do the same for each other.
Please allow me to leave us with Hebrews 12;14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see God. Note that the word ‘and’ is used as a function word to indicate connection, and to express among other things, a consequence or supplementary explanation. It’s not only about holiness, it’s also about following after peace.
to God be the Glory.
