A still more excellent way.

Love (or a lack thereof) for God and for people has been something of a theme this past month — not one I have actively sought out, but rather the contrary.  It’s been like a persistent widow, knocking and knocking and knocking at my door, determined to continue knocking until granted hearing.

The hearing is still underway and far from being finished.  In short, it’s been good.

Some meditations on love are forthcoming, but for now, just a couple quick thoughts about what Paul, inspired by God, called “a still more excellent way.”

Without love, nothing.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains,but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
(I Corinthians 12:31-13:3)

Without love, what are my words?  Sounds without beauty.  Noise that obstructs the hearing of other voices.
Without love, what are my gifts and knowledge and faith?  Nothing.  Absolutely worthless.
Without love, what are my noble deeds of sacrifice?  Unprofitable.  Vanity.

Love is laying down your life.

By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
(I John 3:16)

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
(John 15:12-13)

We know love because of Jesus.  And we’re called to love just like Jesus did.  Love outside of Jesus is not love.  And love is expressed in the laying down of one’s life.  In fact, there’s no greater expression of love than this: that someone lay down his life.