1 Corinthians 13
The Excellence of Love
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
With this passage from his letter to the Corinthians, St Paul gives us not only beautiful prose, but an amazing challenge. Take a look – and think about the loved ones in your life. Have there been times you have been unkind or impatient? Performed a good deed, then been angry when it goes unnoticed or unrecognized? Have you given up hope?
There’s no doubt in my mind that my husband was selected for me by God. There are days when I lament that we didn’t find each other sooner, but I always say that I wouldn’t have appreciated him nearly as much. He challenges me to be a better person, even by bringing out some of my worst faults. He’s a reminder of God’s love for me, and a model for me, for being kinder to others.
We’re called to help get our spouses to heaven – I always say Brett has a much harder job ahead of him than I do.
Here’s to my wonderful husband – father to my little ones, and my very best friend. I’m praying for many more years with you, Brett.
Link up and let me know how your Valentine’s is shaping up!
No clanging cymbals! 🙂
LOVE this passage, and your homage/tribute to your valentine. 🙂
Feeling so blessed in our home as my Valentine marked ONE FULL YEAR cancer-free on Saturday. God is REALLY REALLY good!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweet Dianna!