What is Love?
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
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.
Love never fails.
“What is love?” Does that question instantly put a 90’s beat in your head? The writer of that song asks at least 15 times. I wonder if he ever figured it out.
What is love exactly? Is it L. O. V. E.? Is love a battlefield? Is it truly a many splendored thing?
Saint Paul tells us love is more than a feeling. It’s patient, kind, and humble. It doesn’t envy or boast or dishonor others. It’s not self-seeking, not angered easily, not a grudge-holder. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
For a sentiment so sweet, Paul’s definition is quite strict. He says clearly what love is and what it is not. In other words, he doesn’t leave a seat for your but. “I love you, but ….”
Why does Paul talk about love like this? He wrote this letter to congregations in Corinth who were having a lot of problems. They were divided over which preacher they thought was best. “I follow Peter.” “I follow Paul.” “Well, I follow Jesus.” They’d also received spiritual gifts. Paul lists them, “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). The desire to use these gifts whenever and wherever was disrupting their worship. They were valuing the gifts they’d received over their fellow Christians.
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
1 Corinthians 14:26-33
We can fall into the trap of thinking we need to make our mark on God’s church. We may come rushing in, knowing the gifts we have, and want to make sure people know we have them. Or we feel disheartened because we don’t seem to have the gifts to make an impact. We either puff ourselves up or tear ourselves down. And we forget the “greater gift” (1 Corinthians 12:31).
LOVE.
The greater gift is also the hardest gift. Who is patient all the time, or kind? Who doesn’t get angry or jealous? Who always protects, always hopes, always trusts, always perseveres? Who never fails? There is only one.
GOD IS LOVE (1 JOHN 4:19).
Before you can put your name into 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Jesus’ name must be there first.
Jesus is patient. (Luke 23:34)
Jesus does not envy, Jesus does not boast, Jesus is not proud. (John 8:50)
Jesus does not dishonor others, (Mark 2:15-17)
Jesus is not self-seeking, (Matthew 26:39)
Jesus is not easily angered, (Matthew 26:55,56)
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs. (John 12:47)
Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (John 8:44, 45)
Jesus always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (John 13:1)
Jesus never fails. (Luke 24:25-27)
In Jesus, the first thing we see is not our example for perfect love. We see the one who loved us perfectly and loved perfectly for us. “The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14). Jesus has kept the law of love perfectly for us so that we “might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:5). It was his unconditional love that drove him to do this (John 3:16; John 15:13).
Because Jesus has loved us, now we can love like Jesus. Now we can put our names in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. We can be patient, kind and all the rest. When our love fails, we trust in Jesus’ unfailing love and forgiveness. He renews our love for our neighbor. He gets our “buts” out of the seat and moves us to go and show love to those around us.