BUT THE GREATEST IS LOVE

But the Greatest is Love

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13:1-13

I love one particular scene in the movie, “Crocodile Dundee.” A folk hero from the outback country of Australia, Crocodile Dundee visits New York City for the first time. While accompanied by a female newspaper writer, he finds himself cornered by a gang of young thugs. When Dundee does not immediately hand over his wallet, one young hoodlum pulls out a switchblade and threatens him. With absolutely no sign of being intimidated, Dundee says, “Now that’s not a knife,” and coolly reaches behind his back and pulls out the largest knife I have ever seen and says, “This is a knife!” Quickly disarmed, the hoodlums run away.

As I read the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, I see Paul somewhat like Crocodile Dundee. His words seem to say, “Now that’s not love … this is love!” I find it difficult, if not impossible, to believe the Corinthians deliberately chose to abandon Christian love. I believe they were all so caught up in acquiring the upfront “spotlight” spiritual gifts that they had unconsciously abandoned true love. Perhaps, they were something like Samson after Delilah cut his hair. At the moment of ambush Samson leapt to his feet, fully expecting to be able to overpower the Philistines, not knowing that God’s power had departed (see Judges 16:18-21). The Corinthian church, like the church at Ephesus, had lost its love (Revelation 2:1-7), and perhaps without knowing so.

I thank the Lord everyday that when I look at FBC Canton I see a church that is fully engaged in loving each other and loving the world. Are we a perfect church? No, not at all! But we are a church that is striving to show our love in the way God has asked us to in I Corinthians 13. There is always room for improvement. As we consistently show genuine love, it will spread and we will begin to see God do amazing things in our church, our city, our state, our country, and our world!

Aaron Hodges