13:1
The Corinthians seemed to value speech. They liked the sound of their own voice, and rhetoric was important in Greek culture. They also were much taken by the gift of tongues. So Paul starts out by saying that if we do not have love, then no matter how gifted, whether naturally or supernaturally, our speech may be, it is like a clanging cymbal. What we say, and the heart that is behind what we say are of equal importance.
13:2,3
Paul then goes on to give more similar examples. Next is prophecy. The prophecy may reveal the deepest of truths, of be full of insight. Or a person may have faith that can move mountains, but if we do not have love we are nothing. Notice all the “I” statements here. A person can think they are something because they have a particular gift or ability, but the truth is we are something only if we have love. And how “great” we are is measured only by the love that we have. Love is the measure that God uses. Now we need to bear in mind that the love spoken of is not the sentimental mush that we so often think of, it is not a love that shrinks from teaching hard truths when necessary, but it is a love that truly has the best interests of others as its goal. We can give all we have to the poor, but without love this is of no value. we can suffer for our faith, but if we do not have love it is of no value. God is love, and we need to be moved by that same love.
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