Read 1 Corinthians 11-16
One of the most familiar chapters in the whole Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. I’ll bet you’ve heard it more than once at a wedding, or other joyous celebration!
However, I found it equally useful in memorial services for both my mother and my father. There are verses in this chapter that are relevant measures of love, both given and received, when assessing the life of a person. More importantly, how are you and I living each day according to these verses?
Please consider the following paraphrase of verses 1 through 7 for more than a memorial service, but perhaps as a useful recurring self-test:
- If I have been able to speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but haven’t had love—am I any better than a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal?
- If I have the gift of prophecy; and if I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have a faith that can move mountains—do I have love, or am I nothing?
- If I gave all I possessed to the poor and surrendered my body to the flames, but didn’t have love—did I gain anything?
- Have I been patient? Have I been kind? Do I not envy or boast? Am I proud, rude or self-seeking? Am I easily angered? Am I keeping a record of wrongs?
- Have I prayed that I never delight in evil and always rejoice with the truth?
- And, finally, do I believe and have faith that love always protects, always trusts, always hope, and always perseveres?
Regardless of our worldly results in this self test, we know that love never fails, and that all the imperfections of this world will cease and disappear when Jesus comes.
Thanks to Jesus, in heaven, the perfect place, we shall no longer see poorly, but clearly; face to face with perfect and complete knowledge—we will know and be known fully.
Now, perhaps you have found new applications for this well known Scripture about faith, hope and the greatest love.
- Bob Kaess serves as Volunteer Coordinator at Adventure Christian Church
