Love Does

Five years before the Apostle Paul’s execution in Rome, he wrote to the church in Corinth. He provided them with instructions about living a God honoring life. Paul’s expectation was that the believers in Corinth would become imitators of Jesus and follow the ways of Jesus. The central trait that concerned Paul was imitating and following Jesus’ way of love. Love motivated everything Jesus did and said. Love for his Father and/or love for humanity. Love should be the motivating factor of everything that a Jesus follower does and says. “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT) If I could correct every lie of fake news, if I could combat the injustices of vote counters, if I could set straight every wrong by BLM protestors or by corrupt police, but didn’t do it from a motivation of love, my actions would not be beneficial for me or society. If I could foresee election results, policy outcomes and legislative shortcomings, but did not act and speak in love, I would be nothing. If I stood between every protestor and police officers on behalf of protestors or on behalf of the police, If I added my voice to the cacophony of sounds against injustice, but if love didn’t my actions and speech, I have gained nothing and others have gained nothing. The actions and speech that Paul described are good things, superb things, but only if the motive is love. Nothing is accomplished from speeches and activity motivated by self-righteousness, hatred, vengeance, jealousy, or revenge. What is said and done without love only adds to the darkness, pain, and suffering. Paul clarified love this way: Love is patient, kind, not jealous, boastful or proud. Love does not demand its own way, doesn’t get irritated, and doesn’t keep score. Love does not rejoice at the sight or sounds of injustice, but rejoices when truth is the winner. Love keeps trying, keeps believing, keeps hoping and striving. Actions and words rooted in love will last forever. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Matt's paraphrase)