1 Corinthians 13:1-8 - Singular Love

My wife, Carolyn, shared an insight with me from 1 Corinthians 13. Many of us have read the "Love Chapter," or perhaps heard it at weddings:

"1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." (1 Corinthians 13, New American Standard Bible, 1995) 

The Christians in Corinth had a lot of these things going for them: spiritual gifts and abilities that could be exercised with whole groups of people, perhaps in a church ministry of some kind. But they were lacking in humility and void of love. So Paul went on to describe genuine love. Carolyn pointed out to me that these qualities tend to be exercised in relationship to other individuals...

"4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 ...love will last forever!" (1 Corinthians 13:4–8, New Living Translation) 

We change the world, loving one person at a time.

Think about it. God didn't say "love your neighbors as yourself" or "love your neighborhood." He gave the second most important rule in the singular: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39)

Lord, You loved the world enough to send Your Son. But You've loved us as individuals, too, tailored to our need for friendship with You. Let Your love for us spill over into love for the individuals we meet today. In Jesus' name, Amen.