1 Corinthians 13 Selected Verses(NIV)
If I speak in the tongues 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, 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. Love never fails. ……..13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
What is love anyway? Can you define it? Thomas Jay Oord, Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Northwest Nazarene University, defines love as follows “To love is to act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote well-being.” What does that mean? When I first heard this definition from Pastor Don Feuerbach in one of his messages, I was taken back. What a concept. Acting intentionally to promote well being. Thomas Jay done good! It was a revelation to me. I made changes in my personal and business mission statements after hearing this definition.
Jesus said to love God and our neighbor. He said all else (the Law and the Prophets) hang on love. We are told that we love because God first loved us. Think about it! If you love someone, you will not cheat, lie or steal where they are concerned. If you love someone, you will always do what is best for them, won’t you? You will act intentionally to promote their well being. Will you allow them to break rules which will cause harm? Will you remove house rules designed to teach them valuable lessons? Will you allow them to touch things that are hot? No, you will always do what is best for them even in the tough decisions.
Does love really mean never having to say you’re sorry as it says in the movie Love story? Of course not. I have been married almost 40 years. There have been a lot of “Sorry” in my career. Jean knows I am not perfect (I know that’s hard to believe and all) but she still loves me. Sort of like my Heavenly Father. I fall down, He picks me up, dusts me off and says “Try again.” Jean learned that from Him. She knows I will make mistakes but she loves me anyway. She loves me through and past those mistakes.
On this day dedicated to love, try to do things differently. Love! Do not be proud; do not be rude. Do not think of yourself. Be patient, be kind. Love and see the difference it will make!
Father, we love because You first loved us. Thank You for Your love which is so much more than we can ask or imagine. Greater love has no one than this. That He would lay down His life for His friends. It is hard to imagine that You did that for us but You did. Teach us to love like that. In Your name we pray.