Real Love
What is love? In this week’s passage from the narrative lectionary, Paul makes a big deal about love, making it sound like it is the only thing that matters. He then elaborates on the characteristics of love and lists the things it is not. He concludes with a well-quoted statement: “Now these three remain faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love(1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV).”
If you look at the trends on social media or the top charts of television, movies, music, and books, you might get the idea that love is a feeling. You might get the idea that we feel love with the right person at just the right moment. It is a feeling between romantic lovers. Or it’s a feeling between friends and family when we have been cared for. It tends to be self-centered. If someone isn’t loving you, or you aren’t “feeling the love,” it’s time to move on.
However, Paul points out that love isn’t self-centered. It’s others-focused.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I have always followed the rules—well, I have honestly tried. Because of this, I have often felt that my testimony was weak. However, as time passes, I realize I’m not so great. While I don’t actively go out of my way to push boundaries and break rules, my heart isn’t always in the right place. For example, there are many times that I get frustrated when people don’t “do the right thing.” This has happened in many areas of my life. Whether it is part of ministry, working in IT, or part of the community. I can focus on my standards and become frustrated with others.
But, when I pause and take a breath, the Holy Spirit convicts me that Jesus loved all of us by going to the cross on our behalf even though we aren’t meeting the standards of the Father and Creator. I may follow “the rules,” but at the end of the day, my focus is usually prideful and self-centered. I need the saving grace of Christ every single day.
I want to be the Christ follower who grasps this teaching of Paul. That realizes God has always expected us to love those He created as He already does. The point of the law was the realization of God’s love for all nations through His chosen nation. Yet, he didn’t allow that to stop His love when humans do what humans do and select self. Christ went to the cross to show us what loving the Father means.
It isn’t an isolated love between creation and creator. It’s a relationship of all of creation as a community. The Corinthians appear to have an issue understanding that their gifts are not theirs but God’s power going out through them and that the Glory goes to God. I need to let go of my pride. You might need to let go of something getting in the way of experiencing and sharing Christ’s true love with those around you.
Lord, lead us to be a community founded on your love and let go of our misguided understandings of love. Amen
You are always welcome to comment below on how I can be praying for you, or you can also go to the contact page to email me privately and directly. I want to be a partner in your journey with Christ.