"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, 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 Corinthians 1:1-3
I've been thinking much about love this year. As Valentine's Day approaches, I've decided to share my thoughts and study about what love really means.
This whole thought process started in Romans, actually. I have a Bible study on Monday mornings that spent 1 1//2 hours each week, from June to December, on the book of Romans. In the 12th chapter, Paul says that love must be sincere (verse 9). The Message version puts it this way: Love from the center of who you are.
That's an amazing turn of phrase, isn't it? For those of us who may think we don't love well, or enough, or maybe as 1 Corinthians 13 describes love, have an answer to our dilemma: we must love from the center of who we are. From our core. If our love core is not based on God - who is love - there is no way we can truly love.
Look with me at the verses above, in 1 Corinthians. If I don't have love, I am nothing. I can have wealth. Fame. Talent. I can have everything . . . but if I cannot give - and receive! - love, it's all worthless.
As I grow older, I realize that goals are great, ambition has it's place - but none of that makes the ultimate difference. It's love, baby. Loves changes the world.
I hope you'll stay with me over the next few weeks as we explore love, together.
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