It is a verse used much in weddings. Why? Because it is about love, and weddings are about love aren't they? What if I told you it is about love within the church? What? Isn't it a given that churches have nothing but love? How God wishes! Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered, there's gonna be trouble!" Okay, Jesus did not say that, nor did Elvis. The truth is that the church is a human institution and as such there are feelings and emotions and not all are positive and loving. There is even envy and jealousy. And yet, sometimes, the work gets done. And this passage is about the ways that the work gets done and not all are pleased about it. Paul is asking, what good is doing this or that for God and find that there is no love among those workers? The biggest challenge to the early church was the presence of tongues; not all believers spoke in or used them, and some even questioned the need for such expressions. Paul says, what good does it do to speak in angelic tongues and do this or that and not have love for each other? What if a person had enough faith to move mountains and the ability to understand all mysteries, but all without love, that person is basically nothing. You could give away everything you own and even surrender your body as a sacrifice or substitute for someone else, without love, nothing is gained. Paul stresses the need for love and seeks to define love by what it should do.
Look at the list of the qualities of love that should be present in churches: patience, kindness, not envious or boastful or arrogant, or rude. It does not insist on getting its own way, it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; love never ends. The world will see great developments and breakthroughs, but in the final analysis, there remains faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love. Is that true in your church? If not, what can you do about it? The first place to start is with ourselves. What in the list shared by Paul best contains one of your defects or faults? Are you an envious person? Are you a rude person? Are you resentful? Or do you doubt others; whatever it may be, ask God to remove that and to give you a new heart with love to share with others even with those who may not love you. And live out a life of love, a contagious one; it may just be the start of something new in your church.
PRAYER: God of love, bless my heart and fill it with love. Make my life be a sermon of love to others. May the list of things that love is be reflected in me and remove from me the things that which serves no purpose. I want my love to be genuine and one that builds up Your work. I pray this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
