“1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
Question: Personal application to our lives?

I was delighted last week when telling the verse for this week to a close relative, who replied, “That doesn’t need any interpretation, it’s a simple fact!”
Praise God!

Effort for self

There are many verses in the bible describing the futility of effort aimed at self-interest. Effort for the accumulation of property or objects we treasure, or building mansions or organisations, or acquiring knowledge on how things work. That is all lost eventually, it only has meaning in how it affects our relations with other people, in how we may be of help and value to others.

Love

These verses take this view to another level, as they don’t focus on those worldly achievements, but on religious or spiritual aspects of life that we as Christians would admire and desire – of speaking like the angels, prophecy and understanding of mysteries, of powerful faith, and extreme generosity – it states that these are nothing in themselves, but only as they are applied “in love” (or “charity” in the KJV). That is not the self-interested love of modern mankind, but unconditional, self-sacrificial love for whoever God brings into our lives, the kind of love that Jesus showed when he gave himself on the cross to save mankind.

How can we, as fallen and weary humanity, be able to give love like that? It is not natural, fallen mankind is essentially self-serving and unloving – even parental love is a love of one’s own.

Need for relationships

I recall in one of Somerset Maugham’s short stories, he described his visit to a Pacific island where a hermit lived. Cargo boats like the one he was on would occasionally stop at the island to check on the hermit and take essential supplies.
Maugham anticipated a fascinating meeting with this man who could reflect in peace and solitude, free from the overwhelming hassle of our world. But he was very disappointed. He found the absence of personal relationships had made the man shallow and morose, and barely human; he was unable to relate to people, he had no personality, and was empty as a person.
So, the burden of hassle and worry that people impose on us is like having air to breathe, without it we die as people.

Relationship with God

But our need for relationship with others is nothing compared to our need for relationship with our almighty creator and sustainer. Without God at the centre of our lives, our soul dies, we become spiritually twisted and sour, unable to rise above the animal level of existence. Being close to God is essential for our soul to live and grow.
When we are in a right relationship with God, we know and rely on His love through Jesus, His love is an infinite source that we cannot keep within ourselves, it becomes an overflowing stream which spreads out to others despite our selfish nature.

But without that right relationship, of a personal response and commitment to Jesus, all the finest religious appearances are hollow and empty, they are like a coffin for a dead soul.
Those spiritual gifts are not for self-promotion, they are to be used to bless others with God’s infinite and self-sacrificing love.