I thought I’d try something a little different today.
They say familiarity breeds contempt, and that can be as true when it comes to God and His word as it is in any other area of life. With time, things that once seemed startlingly clear fade into obscurity, and if we’re not careful, we can easily lose sight of what’s really important and, in spite of all our frenzied religious activity, end up missing the point entirely.
With that in mind, I decided to take a very familiar passage from the New Testament and paraphrase it in my own words in hopes of bringing it back into sharp relief, mainly for my own benefit. So I opened up 1 Corinthians 13 in three translations (the NIV, the New King James and The Message), read and pondered it for a while, and then set to rendering it in my own words. (Disclaimer: I don’t make any claim to what follows being faithful to the original writer’s intention; it’s a paraphrase and nothing more.) Here goes.
If I preach dynamic sermons, write stunningly eloquent blog posts and even diligently seek to understand and make plain the secrets of God’s kingdom, but I do not love others, I am no more than an empty noise calling attention to nothing but itself. I might have amazing, divinely-inspired insight into circumstances, situations and people; my understanding of the mysteries of life and God might be so profound as to make your jaw drop; and I might have faith enough to perform miracles that confound the most cynical sceptics, draw crowds from miles around and are universally acclaimed. But even if all this is true, if I don’t live in love, I am of no consequence, like a vapour in the wind. It doesn’t matter how many charities I give to or how faithfully I put my tithe in the basket; it doesn’t matter what distant countries I’ve travelled to on mission trips, how many people I’ve witnessed to or whatever other exploits I’ve done for God, however worthy of applause they might be; these are all utterly futile if my life is not infused with love.
– Love means I don’t get impatient and snappy when things don’t go my way.
– Love means my focus is on others, even when that means giving up my rights and preferences.
– Love means I’m not always wishing I had a better job, more money, a bigger house, trendier clothes, the latest gadget.
– Love means I talk myself down instead of up.
– Love means I don’t seek after the praise of men or let it go to my head.
– Love means I don’t say or do things that discredit others, whoever they may be and however much I might think they deserve it.
– Love means I don’t dwell on my wants, needs and desires.
– Love means I learn to control that short temper so that others don’t have to bear the brunt of my anger.
– Love means I’m quick to forgive and don’t harbour grudges or carry resentment in my heart, even when those who have wronged me have no intention of apologising or reconciling with me.
– Love means I’m driven to seek justice for others and take pleasure in seeing the truth win out.
– Love means I persevere no matter what, put my trust unwaveringly in God, always look for the best in every person and every situation, and keep going whatever the cost.
Fancy talk and words, however spiritual they might sound, are easily exposed; fervent prayers, breathtaking knowledge and deep understanding are of no worth in themselves. All these things can and will ultimately be stripped away; there is only one thing of value that can withstand the test of time and eternity: love.
I might think I know it all, but how wrong I am! However much I discover about God and His ways, I need to remember that it’s but a drop in the ocean. One day, I’ll see Him as He is, in His infinite glory and grace, and all my vain attempts to explain and contain Him will evaporate.
When I was a child, I had a child’s understanding. But when I grew up, I let go of my childish ways. Now, we squint and struggle to glimpse sketchy outlines through the fog; but the day will come when the skies will clear and the reality that’s been hidden from view all along will be revealed in glorious high definition. Then we’ll see how each of our tiny pieces of the jigsaw fits into the wonderful whole, and everything will come into razor-sharp focus. No longer will we have to clutch and scrape to try to get a handle on God; we’ll know Him as clearly as if He was right here in the room with us, looking us in the eye – which is just how He’s known us all along.
But for now, until that day comes, there are three things that matter: trusting in God, hoping beyond all hope, and living in love. And the centrepiece of these three – the foundation stone on which everything else rests and which, if taken away, causes everything else to come crashing down – is love.
