“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
I Corinthians 13:3 NKJV
For the past few days, we have been talking about our calling in Christ, how God has strengthened us for it, our manner of approach, and the role of prayer. Today, we will consider another angle to it — love.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of love. We see it displayed in movies, read about it in books, and have an understanding of what it entails when we say we love someone.
Love inspires a host of emotions in us including warmth, care, and longing. It motivates us to be loyal, forebear, believe the best of a person, show kindness, make sacrifices, go beyond ourselves, and so on. Love in its true form brings out the best in us.
No wonder our salvation is rooted in an act of love. See how Jesus describes it:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 NKJV
Apostle Paul, years later, admonishes to imitate this same act in our conduct. He says:
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” -Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJV
Furthermore, we see the emphasis placed on love in our service to God and man. Apostle Paul in his epistles highlighted instances of certain churches “love for all the saints”. (Ephesians 1:15, Colossians 1:4, Philemon 1:5, 2 Corinthians 8:7)
After explaining the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit and our need to earnestly desire them, Apostle Paul highlighted love as the “more excellent way”. This goes to show the importance of love in our calling! And as he explains it, as shown in our anchor verse, it’s not just about our “loving” actions but the intention behind them. (1 Corinthians 13)
If we are to impact lives, we have to do so with a heart filled with love. Our motivation must be fueled by love, not selfish gains. There’s no other way around it. Knowing this, we are to let love lead us in our calling. It is the hallmark of our faith.
DO THIS: Study I Corinthians 13 this weekend and come up with practical ways to walk in love as you show Jesus to the world.
Bible Reading Plan:
Luke 22:14-23, Hebrews 4:12-16, Proverbs 21:17-31, Isaiah 17-20