“And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I am nothing… so now faith, hope, and love abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:2,13 (ESV)

I believe we’ve lost the main idea of Christianity in our world today which is drawing hearts toward Jesus Christ. In addition, loving God and loving people is essential to our walk with the Lord. We can’t submit to a God we don’t love and we can’t say we love God when we don’t love people (1 John 4:20). God asks this of us from the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5) to the new (Matthew 22:37).

Moreover, God doesn’t just want us to love Him but He wants love to be our lifestyle and to teach our children the same (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Jesus shows us how important love is with the way He lived as well as with how He restated the 10 commandments in Matthew 22:37-40. Jesus basically said love God and love people. And it doesn’t end there. Paul expanded on this idea in 1 Corinthians 13 when he showed us how important love is.

I know most people are used to hearing 1 Corinthians 13 at weddings, but this is supposed to be a believer’s daily life. Paul is very clear in this scripture that love is above all. He closes chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians telling us that even though we have different roles and gifts in the body of Christ, he knows a lifestyle that is the greatest. Guess what that lifestyle is… 1 Corinthians 13, LOVE. This isn’t the superficial, pretentious kind of love but one that is concerned about someone’s soul more than anything else. The kind of love that makes us put others before ourselves. God demonstrated this kind of love… “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16 (ESV)

Truth is Paul put into words the core of Jesus’ ministry in 1 Corinthians 13. The goal of living a lifestyle of love is drawing other’s hearts towards Jesus. Everything about Jesus’ life was a direct product His love for humanity and as Christ followers, our lives should reflect the same. Love is an action, not just a word we throw around in conversation. Grace and peace 🙂