A Word from 1 Corinthians 13

What are some of the priorities that are motivating you these days? Are you focused on getting things done at work, or finding a way to balance the family budget? Are you worried about maintaining your health, or keeping your family safe?

We could go on and on, of course. But the bottom line is that there are lots of things—many of them good and important things—that can easily begin to demand the best of our time, attention, and energy. And yet, as Paul reminds us in today’s word from 1 Corinthians 13, there’s ultimately one thing that the Lord wants us to keep at the forefront of our attitudes and actions.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels,” Paul says, “but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 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. 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.” (1 Cor. 13:1-7)

Now, as you can tell, Paul was addressing some issues related to spiritual gifts. And that might not be what’s consuming our attention these days. But I’d imagine we could adjust Paul’s words to reflect more modern day concerns: “If I could plan the best vacation, or write the perfect social media post…if my 401k was perfectly invested, or I had my kids involved in all the right activities…if I knew the Bible forward and back, or held the right positions on all the latest political issues…but didn’t have love, it wouldn’t amount to much in God’s eyes.”

Naturally, I’m grateful for the love that I do see in our church family. But as we look ahead to the weekend, may the deepest desire of our hearts be to love as we’ve been loved. And if we can do that, I think we can rest assured that our Heavenly Father will be deeply pleased. Amen.