1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
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.
This is one of the most famous passages in the Bible. It is read at most weddings as couples start married life together and want to grow in love. However, the context that Paul was writing in was not of marriage but of spiritual gifts and serving in church. In the previous passage, he eagerly encourages us to seek the greatest gifts (apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, etc.) but today he says that far greater than these is love.
So often in culture we prioritise competency over character. We find gifted people and we give them platforms and opportunities. Time after time we see them hurt others, fall apart and cause damage. Perhaps you have met those people in churches, they have have studied the Bible and know every word off by heart but apply it with such venom that you are put off God completely. Without love, all your gifts and strengths are meaningless.
Perhaps you could reflect and say, but I am not hateful. However, the opposite of love is usually not hate. The true opposite of love is apathy. It is when you no longer care about someone else. When you are no longer troubled by their troubles.
I heard someone say recently that you can not love others if you do not love yourself. Which sounded really good at the time but I think that Paul would disagree. He talks about a love that takes the focus of your life off yourself and your desires and places your energy on the benefit of others. I do think that dignity and knowing our value is important in a world that is constantly whispering ‘you are not enough’ but also believe that apathy and self love are two of the greatest vices of our society. Our greatest experience of love will always be the love that we share.
This is how Jesus loves you:
JESUS is patient, JESUS is kind. JESUS does not envy, JESUS does not boast, he is not proud. 5 JESUS does not dishonor others, JESUS is not self-seeking, JESUS is not easily angered, JESUS keeps no record of wrongs. 6 JESUS does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 JESUS always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
If you are finding it hard to love, yourself or others, then remind yourself of the way that Jesus loves you and start there. This is truly the greatest way that we can live.
