1st Corinthians 13:1-3

I Corinthians 13 

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love… it is the core of following Christ. It’s easy for us to love God, but Scripture is clear that it is equally important to love others. This passage says it doesn’t matter if you are gifted in tongues, a great speaker, a prophet, wise, full of faith, or even a martyr for God- if you do not love others, it is worth nothing.

Sure we love our family, our friends, our church family… but then it gets tough. What about the person that wronged you? Or that continually gossips about you? What about the abusive ex-boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, parent, or other family member? What about people who believe differently than you, live differently than you, or even attack you because of your faith? Make no mistake- you are to love them like Christ does. If you aren’t sure how to do this, read through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) to see how Jesus interacted with others while He was on Earth.

This chapter goes on and explains what love is. Many of us have heard this passage at weddings as a promise between the bride and groom. But it is the type of love you are to love everyone with, even those that don’t deserve it. In verses 4-8, it describes love as patient and kind (even when others aren’t); it is not jealous, prideful, arrogant, or rude; it is not irritable, resentful, and doesn’t hold grudges; it rejoices with the truth, makes it through anything, and never ends. Love is concerned about the well-being of the other person, rather than for itself.

Do you have this type of love for others? You can do all the serving, giving, sacrificing you want… if you don’t have love, you’ve missed the mark.  

Matthew 22: 37-39 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.