DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LOVE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE GREATEST GIFT – LOVE

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal......Now abides faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." (I Corinthians 13:1, 13)

This rabbit trail by the Apostle Paul is strategically placed between chapters 12 and 14, which are both instruction on the use of spiritual gifts. The implication is clear: Unless the spiritual gifts are grounded in love, they are like noise.

This is one of the most beautiful literary writings on the subject of love. How do you define love? How do you know love when it is present?

The word love, whether used as a noun or a verb, is an active word. It is not just some passive feeling one has. It is only as good as its action. Paul defines love, not in some ethereal mystical sense, but in practical outworking in life.

Love doesn't just be --- love does. It suffers long, it is kind, it does not envy, is not proud and puffed up, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not easily provoked, does not think evil but rejoices in truth. It bears all things, and believes the best in other people.

Love never fails. Other things may come and go, but true love – God's kind of love – remains the constant.

A person can be very gifted and intelligent, and can be used in a lot of very good ways. But if love is not the motivation, then everything will end up in the trash heap. I believe that this is one of the criteria for separating the gold, silver, and precious stones from the wood, hay, and stubble in the Bema judgment of Believers. Anything that is not based in love will be burned up. Only the things done in love will remain.

I have a printed a copy of this chapter and framed it to hang on my wall above my computer, just to remind me of the importance of this truth. May this be our goal – that all of our actions would be grounded in love

Love, Dad