1 Corinthians 13
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 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 do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 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 the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a 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.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
b. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames
Do you remember the second half of the last verse in Chapter 12? Paul says “Now I will show you a more excellent way.” Keeping in mind that the original manuscripts weren’t broken into Chapter and Verse, the 13th chapter seems to be the logical continuation of Paul’s thought.
Having Spiritual gifts is great … but unless those gifts have the underlying love of your fellow human beings, they really become useless. What good is preaching if one doesn’t care if anyone responds to the message? I know my preacher friends often have to feel disillusioned when no one comes forward at the end of their sermon. And it is frustrating for a teacher to spend hours preparing a lesson only to have one or two people show up for class – and have those unprepared. The only way to keep going is to love those who God has given you and prepare as though the next sermon or lesson will make the difference.
Paul then shares the attributes of true love: patience; kindness, no trace of envy or pride or boasting. Love doesn’t tear people down but builds them up. Love keeps its cool and doesn’t hold a grudge. Love rejoices in truth. Love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Those are some pretty lofty goals for us.
Love doesn’t fail.
You know all the things we do and say will one day be gone … but the love we have shared will last forever. I remember my Grandma Ward. I try to remember how she sounded but the memory of the sound of her voice is long gone. But the love she built inside of me, my Mom, and all those she came in contact with lingers even today. I see Grandma Ward in Aunt Bette and in Mom. I see her in my sister, Claire. I even see her in Norma … who had the joy of living with her for a couple of years when we were first getting started.
Loves lasts from one generation to the next to the next and so on. And that is what Paul is saying … the best thing we have is the agape’ love we have for each other. So for this day …
Agape’
Mr. Jim
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