Love Never Fails..

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:8, NKJV

Paul promised to show the Corinthians a "more excellent way." (1 Cor. 12:31) Love, famously described in verses 4-8 of this chapter, is that more excellent way - a way of living that rises above all others and, indeed, gives life meaning. One of love's defining characteristics is its unfailing nature. If you can stop "loving," someone, you never really loved them in the first place. Love can't stop loving. In importance, it ranks greater than faith, hope, prophecy, knowledge, or tongues (as in speaking in tongues). The Corinthians were all about spiritual superiority. They exalted prophecy, tongues, and knowledge because these were qualities or gifts that they could use to one-up each other. Someone could say they had more knowledge, or more prophecy, or more speaking in tongues than someone else. Paul exposes the Corinthians' disordered hierarchy by pointing out that prophecy fails (we won't need it when it is fulfilled), knowledge vanishes (the partial knowledge we have now will pass away when we come face-to-face with God, because then we shall know just as we are known), and tongues cease (we won't need the gift of tongues in the kingdom of God). Like baby teeth, these things - though good and desirable - are all temporary, imperfect, partial. "...when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away." (vs. 10) So while they have their place in the Christian life, it is a mistake to give them a higher place than they deserve. They will pass away; love will not. Love never fails. The love we have now we will carry with us into eternity, where the only change will be the increasing of our capacity for love. Love is what matters; love is what lasts; love is what should be given the highest priority in our lives. That's why Paul explains the end of chapter 13, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." Right now, the believer abides in faith, hope, and love. But when Christ comes for us, faith will become sight, and hope will be fulfilled. Those two will pass away like knowledge, tongues, and prophecy. But not love! It abides forever. Not superiority. Not pride. Not power. Not pleasure. Not personal glory. Not control. Not possessions. Not any of those things. Love. It's the fruit of the Spirit from which joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control derive. If you have love, you have everything; if you do not have love, you have nothing. The more excellent way makes it easy to decide we are best invested.

by Rebecca