Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Wednesday

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. ²I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains—but if I have no love, I am nothing. ³I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burnt—^o but if I have no love, this does me no good.

4 Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; ⁵love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; ⁶love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. ⁷Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.

8 Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary; there are gifts of speaking in strange tongues, but they will cease; there is knowledge, but it will pass. ⁹For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; ¹⁰but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.

11 When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I have grown up, I have no more use for childish ways. ¹²What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete—as complete as God’s knowledge of me.

13 Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Think

The Corinthian church was trapped in spiritual pride; competing to see who was the most 'spiritual' who had the most impressive gifts.  We are so easily fooled by our egos into thinking that our ability to pray, preach, 'look' Christian is a sign of God's special favor.

Paul points out that the mark of a true Christian is love as described in 1 Corinthians 13.  All the other impressive things are nothing; only love remains.

Pray

Pray verse 4-7; as God to help you to be more loving in all the ways described.