What's love got to do with it?

1 Corinthians 13

 ¹ If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² 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. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 ⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 ¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

This is one of the most popular chapters in the Bible. It is most popular at weddings but it seems like everyone knows it. It is such a "pretty" chapter. it leaves you feeling all "gushy" inside. OR DOES IT? In fact, this verse is pretty tough on us. It is especially tough in verses 4-7. Do you consider yourself a Loving person. Can you live up to God's description of love.  If you're not quite sure try this: Replace the word Love with the word I. I found this in an internet site and was floored by it's impact. What do you think?

⁴ I am patient, I am kind. I do not envy, I don't boast, I'm not proud. ⁵ I don't dishonor others, I'm not self-seeking, I'm not easily angered, I don't keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ I do not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. ⁷ I always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere. I never fail.

I don't know about you, but I'm in trouble. With that slight modification to these verses, I realize I'm not quite the "Lover" I like to think I am.

This is quite the standard God has set for us and frankly, this is what life's about.  All the other things that we deem as important are nothing. Knowledge, wisdom, and Faith are all important parts of our life as Christians. But, GOD SAYS, without Love we have nothing. The song "what's love got to do with it" can't be further from the truth. Love has everything to do with everything. Do I really love my family? Do I really love my wife? Do I love my GOD? If we can't accept this great definition of love, we can't say we really love at all.

Now on the other hand. God perfectly reflects all these great characteristics of Love. God sets the standard. We can only dream of working toward that standard. Our choice is, will be even try. He is all those things and so much more. When we realize, GOD IS LOVE, and then realize what Love is, we can begin to share that Love with others. Love is the key. True Love, is the key.

Dear Lord, Please forgive me for not really Loving you, my family, and my friends. Lord I am blessed to have your Love. Help me to share that Love as you would have me. Help me to understand what it truly means to love. Thank you for loving me. Amen.