For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16
The word “love” is all around us. “I Love Lucy.” “Everybody Loves Raymond.” “Herbie the Love Bug.” “Crazy, Stupid Love.” Books on love, talk shows on love, radio call-in programs dedicated to love. You would think that with so much love being spread around we would have a lock on what it means. But, looking at 1 Corinthians 13:7 can show us just how different God’s idea of love is from many other uses of the word.
Love bears ALL things (1 Corinthians 13:7)
There are too many people in my life who seem to be unloveable. There are too many situations in my life that seem un-bearable. There are times that I feel that it might be easier for me to become a bear, than to bear all things in love.
I’m not sure that our current cultural understanding of love is what Paul had in mind when he was writing the Corinthians.
In Paul’s day they had a bunch of words for love.
Phileo described a deep friendship kind of love.
Storge referred to a certain affection. One might feel this toward their family.
Eros speaks of romantic love (probably the basket we put all of our love in these days).
Agape is self-giving love. It is best seen in the unconditional love that God shows to us.
Agape is the word Paul used in 1 Corinthians 13. It is the love that God has for the world; to send his Son to live, and love, and die, and rise for us. The love that walks toward the cross during Lent. The love that rises on Easter.
This love tells us how a believer’s story ends: not in our death, but our life with Christ forever.
We would gain a lot if we could recapture the broad language of love. But even more importantly, God calls us to trust that the love of our Redeemer is more than enough to equip us to bear all things, believe all things, endure all things, and hope all things.
Prayer: Lord, you constantly show me how high, how wide, and how deep your love is for me. Awaken in me the spectrum of love that you show, so that I may be equipped to bear all things in love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Pastor Bil Hood
Director of Church and Community Relations, CUI
CUI Parent