A Meditation on Love Part I

I Cor. 13:1-4a
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."


"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing."


"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing."


"Love suffereth long (makrothumei - to suffer long i.e. exercising understanding, and patience toward persons."


Song of Solomon 8:7a
"Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it."


The writers of these words understood the powerful and primal reality of Love.  They knew that real love does not seek to showcase itself by self-congratulatory displays of ability to speak in different languages. Without the substantive presence of love such displays are at best shallow hubris.

Nor is the ability to speak forth prophecy, and discern mysteries and spiritual knowledge or even to possess the faith that can move mountains without love an individual is nothing (ouden eimi - an absolute zero) in the Greek text.

This negation of ability or power extends to the giving of all of ones goods to feed the poor or sacrificing oneself by fire - without love such acts mean nothing.

In 'Vanity Faire,' William Thackery speaks of those persons who are so insubstantial that they have no backs to their heads.  In other words they are mere masks.

In 'The Pilgrim's Progress,' Bunyan speaks of the town of Vanity, he writes:  "...the name of the town is Vanity; and at the town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair...it beareth the name of Vanity Fair because the town where 'tis kept is lighter than vanity; and also because all that is there sold, or that cometh thither, is vanity."

The type of love that Paul writes about would be embraced and understood by Victor Fankl. This type of love satisfies man's search for meaning because it involves him completely.  Paul further states that love sufferers long.  The word in the Greek text not only embraces understanding and patience but also not given to impetuous anger. And not only is love long suffering it is also kind or contains the excellence of beneficience.

Love is not abusive.  Love nurtures and builds up.  Love never seeks to undermine one's self-esteem or betray or deceive.

Spiritual wisdom teaches that actions are weighed by love.  Today, please know that if you have been wounded by someone who speaks of love and actions are otherwise, that is not love it is manipulation.

The Iesous loves you.  His love for you is real as demonstrated by his sacrificial action on the cross.  Greater love hath no one man than a man lay down his life for another.

For more information about Dr. Josiah Rich and his teaching ministry, please visit his website.