But The Greatest Of These Is Love

Chapter 13 of I Corinthians is often referred to as "the love chapter." It has long been one of my favorite chapter of the bible....but it spoke to me in a little different way during this morning's reading. 

In the proceeding chapters, Paul has been addressing divisions in the Church.  In chapter 13 he is talking about love because it is the ultimate "gift" from God .  It binds the Church together so that the body can function for the purpose of Christ...the Head of the Church.

There is a great lesson tucked into verse 11, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

I think Paul was talking about Christian maturity, here.  Now look back to the proceeding verses (5-6) where he was stating what love is not!!!  "It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil..."  Are these not signs of immaturity?  ...envy, boasting, pride, dishonoring others, easily angered, delighting in evil....

With that in mind....maturity in Christ would bring forth fruit like...patience, kindness, trust, truth, perseverance.  Love bears fruit!!!!  The kind that last.  It is the secret to church unity.  It is the secret to spreading the gospel.  And at the end of chapter 13 Paul sums it up by saying..."the greatest of these is love."