True Love

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 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. 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.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

~ 1 Corinthians 13

Thirteen beautiful verses. Who wouldn't nod their head in agreement at the truth and passion contained herein? But this season, the season in which we celebrate life because Jesus died brutally for us, we are reminded of what love truly is, the perilous, exhausting, and humanly impossible task of loving as we have been loved; love for the Father and love for us that compelled Jesus to selflessly, unfalteringly endure its most complete and perfect demonstration ever enacted.

Love suffers long and is kind... The hours of torment Jesus suffered, knowing His friend was His betrayer, seeing His disciples regard so highly their own comfort they would not pray for His peace, asking the Father that this cup might pass from Him --and it did not. Still, He washed feet and prayed a blessing, healed a soldier, made provision for His mother, welcomed a thief into eternal life, and obeyed the Father. Love suffers long and is kind...

...love does not seek its own... He left His throne, He left His Father, that we might become sons and daughters of the same Father and reign with Him in His place of glory. He took humanity upon Himself that we might take His righteousness upon us. He humbled Himself unto death that we might have life. He received every bit of our punishment that we might be fully forgiven. ...love does not seek its own...

...is not provoked... Not even in defense of itself. As those around Him hurled false accusations, as they chose not to understand, as they mocked and disrespected the King of kings, He remained silent that love might grow to its fullest measure, that His life might be taken in exchange for us, that He might wholly obey the Father. ...is not provoked...

...thinks no evil... It does not take into account a wrong endured. In those final moments He cried out, It is finished! The forgiveness of everyone who spit on Him, who threw their fists, who spoke falsely against Him, who mocked, who watched in silence, who desired to be entertained by such a violent display of injustice, who cursed Him, who murdered their children and slandered their neighbor, who slit their wrists in defiance of God's authority, who worshipped their money, who broke their marriage vows, who cheated their government or cheated their citizens, who envied their brother, who drove while drunk, who hurt the innocent and molested their daughters, who stole to eat, who stole because they could, who shirked their responsibilities, who fed their addictions instead of their children --the forgiveness of everyone who would cry out to receive it was won. ...thinks no evil...

Love...bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.