Happy Valentine's Day! The day of roses, chocolate, cards, candlelight dinners and LOVE. If you know me at all, you know that my husband and I have been married 27 years and are very much in love. I have friends who don't have sweethearts and pretty much dread this day. Every single one of us has a very special Sweetheart, though, and I'd like to focus on Him today.
I Corinthians 13 is called the Love Chapter. Song of Solomon is very descriptive about a bridegroom and his bride on their wedding night. The historical books of the Old Testament are full of accounts that tell of romance, love, and marriage. The prophetic books and many of the illustrations used in the New Testament present Christ as a bridegroom and the church as His bride anxiously awaiting their wedding day. As Christians, or "little Christs," we look to His example of loving the sinner but hating the sin as we interact with the wold in our day-to-day lives. We're going to look at the traditional Love Chapter today, but let's not focus on who we are loving or even the romantic relationships we have. Let's just examine the Scripture and let it speak to our hearts about how we are loving others in every relationship we have. Let's look at the chapter and I will share some of my thoughts on how to apply these verses to our hearts.
I Corinthians 13
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass of a tinkling cymbal."
Even if I am able to impress you with the eloquent words I can speak or the spiritual sound of my talk, if I do not have love in my heart I will sound like a non-stop, clanging dinner bell or a continuous little Teacher Bell......both of which have a purpose but will begin to get on your nerves and drive you crazy with their emptiness.
"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and
all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains,
and have not charity, I am nothing."
Even if I have great discernment and can teach others and help them understand things, and though I have so much faith that others think I can surely perform miracles, but have not charity what good does any of that do me. I am empty.
"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."
No matter how much I sacrifice and serve others, no matter if I work myself to death for others, if I do not have real charity, it does me absolutely no good and I am not going to be rewarded.
Charity . . .
--suffereth long will suffer for a long time without complaining
--and is kind do we treat the ones we love with the same kindness we give to strangers?
--envieth not is not concerned with what others have now or get
--vaunteth not itself does not put itself ahead of others, cocky
--is not puffed up is not proud or vain
--doth not behave itself unseemly is not drawing attention to itself, rude
--seeketh not her own is not seeking benefit for self, selfish
--is not easily provoked is not easily angered
--thinketh no evil does not jump to negative conclusions
--rejoiceth not in iniquity is not happy to see others fail or sin
--rejoiceth in the truth is happy and content with the facts
--beareth all things does not consider itself a martyr
--believeth all things does not create drama
--hopeth all things looks for the "sunny side"
--endureth all things takes things as they come for as long as needed
--charity never faileth never gives up
"Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they
shall cease, whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."
When I look at this short list I see the things of man being temporary. Prophecies can mean teachings, tongues can mean languages, knowledge can mean knowledge. So as time goes by, or even just as we get older, we start to see the discoveries of man being surpassed. We see languages disappear and the use of a "universal language" so communication is easier. We see people forgetting what they what they know, whether by age related conditions or by choice.
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is
perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."
We only know as much as our human brains can handle at a time. Once we get used to some new technology THEN something new is developed and becomes available. We can understand only so much about the Bible, about other people, about anything; but when Christ comes back for us we will have full knowledge. There will be complete understanding of all the "why's" and of all the things God has been trying to teach us.
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I
thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish
things."
Children "think" they are so smart. But children talk like children, and perceive things as a child, and go about things in a childish way. But when someone starts to mature or has a more intelligent grasp on things, they leave the old things behind and reach forward to better themselves.
"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now
I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
We do not have all the facts here on earth; the whole picture is not clear to us. But when we are with God we have a full understanding and others will have a full understanding of me!
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the
greatest of these is charity."
In this life we have our faith in God, we can always hope for tomorrow, and we will always find love. But the very greatest thing of all is LOVE! Love conquers all! If you really love someone you spiritual faith will not always help you act right toward them. You can always be looking off to tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. But the greatest thing about love is that it is the greatest thing. It can endure and stand the tests and will prove itself over and over again!
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