|
Bible Passage:
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
'Life is all about love'. The entire law is summed up in a single command: 'Love your neighbour as yourself' (Gal 5: 14). Learning to love unselfishly is not an easy task - it runs counter to our selfish nature. God want us to love everyone, of course, but he is particularly concerned that we learn to love others in his family - the church. (1 Peter 2: 17, Gal 6: 10) . Why?
Because this is our greatest witness to the world (see John 13: 35) . Why is this so significant?
Love cannot be learned in isolation. You have to be around people - irritating, imperfect, frustrating people. How do you react to that? How committed are we to fellowship with one another in Gorgie?
Through fellowship, we learn three important truths:
1. The best use of life is love.
Love should be our top priority, our primary objective - the most important part of life. Is it in your life, your relationships?
It should be, because ultimately, life without love is really worthless. (1 Cor 13: 3) Often we act as if relationships were something to be squeezed into our schedules (e. g. we speak about 'finding time' for the children). Instead, we should act as though relationships were the most significant thing in life, which they are, in fact. The Ten Commandments show us this priority: four of them deal with our relationship to God; six deal with our relationships with people. This shows that relationships, not achievements or acquiring things, are what matter most in life. What do you think gets in the way of this priority?
e.g. busyness, work, hobbies, making money, accomplishing tasks? Which are issues for you?
We can find that what really matters is displaced by what is far less important. For it is love, and the relationships characterised by the love of 1 Cor 13, that endures.
'Love leaves a legacy. How you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth. As Mother Teresa said, 'It's not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters.'
How do you react to that quote? Think of a specific relationship with someone amongst your family, friends, and church. What heritage would you like to leave with them when you are gone? What can you do now to try and ensure that those relationships become more enriching? Ultimately, our lives will be evaluated by God on the quality of the way we have related to him and treated other people. (see Matthew 25: 40) . How does that challenge you?
2. The best expression of love is time
If the amount of time we spend on something shows how important we think it is, how much time do we invest in our relationships? It's not enough to say relationships are important, we must prove it by investing time in them. The best way to spell love is T-I-M-E. In this respect, giving of time in relationships is the gift of ourselves to the other person - the essence of what it means to love. Of course, this must be quality time, what Warren calls 'focussed attention'. How much do you give this to others, or how often do you give apparent attention, but you are not really engaging? How can we change, if we need to do so?
3. The best time to love is now
We should never put off the opportunity to love others. Look at the passages that make this clear: (Gal 6: 10, Eph 5: 16, Prov 3: 27) . Why is now the best time? Because you don' t know how long you will have the opportunity. Circumstances change. Children grow up. People die. You have no guarantee of tomorrow. If you want to express love, do it today, do it now.
A question to consider: When you stand before God, how will you explain those times when projects, or things, were more important to you than people? What changes do you need to make to ensure relationships are your first priority?
Also: What are the barriers that keep us from loving and caring for other believers?
|