Today is February 1st, what we know as the month of relationship and love.
It’s the word we think of when we see February on the calendar.
We also know that Valentines day is one of the most marketed holidays starting just as soon as Christmas ends.
When I used to work at a florist the days were crazy right before the 14th..
I often told my husband to not get me anything just because Hallmark says he should, or the calendar reminders.
I would rather have something when I am not expecting it, not even planning it.
It is way more intentional to give a random ‘thoughtful’ card then a guilt producing ‘need to get it done’ gift.
I think the word of God in the Bible tells us a lot about love and what is expected of us.
Actually there are a few but the one I want to focus on is in 1st Corinthians of the New Testament.
The Excellence of Love ~ 1st Corinthians ~
13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
The greatest of these is love.
I wish we all could fully grasp the fact that the world is watching us if we say we are believers.
Love is powerful on many levels. Read the above again, slowly.
The word ‘if’ is used 8 times, which tells me it is a mandate or condition of heart.
If I say this, then this is what you will expect of me.
The other half of that is the ‘but do not have’ statement.
This is definitely something for us to think about.
