The Greatest of These is Charity – 1 Corinthians 13
What is the most important ingredient in the life of a Christian? What is more essential than great spiritual gifts, eloquent teaching abilities, extensive knowledge, incredible faith or tremendous sacrifice?
The answer is charity – love in action. This is what we need more than anything else. Love is greater than even faith or hope. And it was exactly what would change the divisions in the church at Corinth.
They had divided over personalities, over legal action, over meat offered to idols, over the Lord’s supper, and over spiritual gifts. Love was the answer to all of it.
And not just affection or feelings for others, but practical love that refuses to not envy, not be prideful, not do anything to embarrass, not seek one’s own, not be easily provoked, not think evil, not rejoice in iniquity. Love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, is patient and is kind.
Truly this is the greatest thing for us to demonstrate in our marriages, our families, our churches, our neighbourhoods, and our world. This is the love that God has for us, and we should give the same love to the world.