The Greatest of These is Love

But now faith, hope, love abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Since today is Valentine’s Day, it can mean many things. For some today is exciting. You are going to spend time a new special someone. For others, today is sad because their love has gone on to Heaven ahead of them and the day can be lonely and filled with memories. Some may even have a “love” still with them but aren’t celebrating because things have become habit and common place. Today can even be a day of frustration and anger over a love that once was and is no longer. Whatever today holds for you, never lose sight of the one that sets the example for love. Jesus Christ loves us so much He died for us. Celebrate this day knowing you are loved beyond measure. Share the love Christ has given you with others. If your “love” is new, make Christ the center of the relationship, if your “love” is gone on, lean on the God of all Comfort. If your “love” once was, forgive; if your “love” is common place, spend time renewing what God has given you. Whatever you do…love. Why? The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love, 1 John 4:8

So, how do we show love? There is really no way to write about love except to quote from 1 Corinthians 13:

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.