Aug. 30: A love for others

Focal Passage: 1 Cor. 13:1-13

In all my time of pastoral ministry I’ve found two kinds of pastors: those that hate weddings and those that love them. Count me with the latter. I do love weddings. I love what they celebrate, I love what they represent, and — not to get overly theological — I love what they point to. But if I only had one complaint about weddings (and to be sure I have more than one) it would be the use of 1 Cor. 13 in the ceremony. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think 1 Cor. 13 totally applies to the situation. I just think this wonderful passage is more than merely “the love/wedding chapter of the Bible.” This is what we are considering this week. 

We use the word “love” so flippantly. “I love my wife.” Good. “I love my family.” Also, good. “I love pasta.” Ummm, ok. “I loved the new Spider-Man movie!” We need to have a conversation. But the kind of love that Paul is talking about here in 1 Cor. 13 is a deeper kind of love. 

You may have heard of the Greek word agapé. Among the various kinds of love used familiar to the koine Greek period (CS Lewis documented four of them in his aptly named book The Four Loves) this kind of love, agapé love, is the deepest and most sacrificial. It is a love, being described here by Paul, that is not self-serving. It is a love that is completely others-focused with no benefit to the person giving it. And this is why I think it is a mistake to merely reserve the “love chapter” at weddings. 

Because what Paul is saying here about love actually is not romantic in nature at all! As a matter of fact, there is a Greek word for romantic love: it’s eros and Paul chose not to use that word. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is telling us that this is the kind of love that best represents the love of God for His people and the best way to serve others. 

To have a love that is patient. A love that is kind. A love that bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. Absolutely that should be true of a married couple. But it also ought to be true of the way you love your children. Or your fellow church member. Or your neighbor. 

But notice what else is said. It is this very kind of love that never ends. Everything else we experience in this life will come to an end. The gifts that we have to serve and bless the church, they have an end date. But agapé love? Never going to end. 

So, since these things are true what is Paul’s exhortation to us? It is actually kind of interesting, we find it in verse 11, “putting aside childish things.” What an odd exhortation. Not really, though, when you understand what he’s saying. If love is the only thing that endures, and this is the kind of love that we are called to today, we might as well start loving like this now. 

So, how about it? Are you going to reserve the “love chapter” just for weddings and Valentine’s Day? Or will you put away the things that are childish and love the way God called you now? B&R