"But have not love.."

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." I Corinthians 13:1-3

Brother, sister, Mr. Big-Shot-Preacher, Mrs. Never-Do-Wrong, I have news: it IS all about love.We have a message to share, a task to be completed, an objective to be reached, but if there is no love, then it is nothing. If we focus on the ramifications of sin rather than the grace that washes it away entirely, then what is our purpose?

They already know; we've let them know many a time through our arrogant display of self-glorification and our shameless rebuking.

We ask ourselves: why doesn't a dark world accept the Light? Because we've placed it too high for them to reach. We've turned it into an exclusive club membership that only the perfect and spotless can attain.

Why don't they want what we have?

I respond with another question: why would they want what they see? Fools announcing their offerings with the sound of a trumpet, standing on the street corners praying empty phrases, and fasting with disfigured faces.

They love the Shepherd, but are terrified by His flock.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 13:4-7

Have we forgotten what love is? When did kindness take a backseat to fear-mongering? We've muddled our original purpose with pride and elitism as a lost world watches on like a lonely, dejected child. Our popularity contests have not only alienated them, but made them bitter and resentful.

And all in the name of the One who loves them just as much. We have ignored the fact that He sent His only Son so they wouldn't perish, but have eternal life in Him.

"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." 13:8-12

Everything we put stock in will eventually vanish, but love is eternal. Prophecies and tongues can only last so long, for a day will come when all of that will meaningless. The declarations of prophets past will have been completed and tongues will be nothing but meaningless drivel.

Like children, our knowledge is only partial. And even as adults, our knowledge is not full. All we know, see, and think we understand is observed through a dark window, yet we take this and act like we have the one important revelation.

But love, this requires no in-depth observation. No analysis. No background checks. Our Saviour knew about us before we came into existence, yet paid for our wrongdoings in such a grotesque manner. All He requests is that we show this love to our brothers and sisters.

We can preach the greatest sermon or sing the greatest song, but have not love, it is nothing.

"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 13:13