Love You More

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”
Though I can speak all languages, even perhaps angelic tongues, if I do not have love what I do say is meaningless. No matter how eloquent my speech or that I can speak in all languages so that all can understand my speech, if I do not have love as my priority, it's meaningless. So then, even if all around me are struck with wonder at my speaking abilities and language skills, if I have not love what I say is just sounds without meaning.

“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.”

Even if I have the gift of prophecy and faith in God to provide for all knowledge, all things and miraculous ability and do not have love, then any understanding I have or any miracle performed through me is as nothing. Further anything I would do, no matter how fantastic and filled with knowledge would be worthless without love. 

“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.”

If I give everything I own to help others needier than I and even give my life over in service to God, but do not love, all this sacrifice is for nothing. There is no formula. 

“Love suffers long and is kind; “

Love reveals itself in us when we are patient, long suffering and kind towards others, even when the other person reciprocates nothing. 

“love does not envy;”

When you love someone you aren't jealous of their things, status or relationships. 

“It does not boast, it is not proud.”

When you love you do not go around telling everyone in hopes they will see you in a better light or think more highly of you. 

“It does not dishonor others,”

When you love someone you don't treat them shamefully or badly or put them down, even if they treat you this way. 

“it is not self-seeking,”

To love doesn't involve selfish gain. Loving someone means you love them even if you get nothing from them. We love because God first loved us.

“it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

When you are filled with love you aren't easily angered when people hurt you. When others hurt you, and everyone will at some point, you may discuss it but you'll quickly forgive and forget their wrong against you. 

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

Love does not enjoy seeing others suffer, even if you feel they deserve it. Instead when you truly love someone you rejoice when they see truth in their lives even if it doesn't help or benefit you. 

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

When you love someone you always seek to protect them, even from themselves, if possible. Further you trust them, even after they break a trust because you forgive and forget. You always hope for the best from them, even if it seems as though they'll never change and you abide with them and never cease in being there for them. 

“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.”

There's no way anyone can know everything living as we are now: broken and sinful. Even if everything else ceases and fails, love remains and will never fail.

“But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” 

However, we will know all when Jesus returns and what we thought we knew will depart and only faith, hope and love will remain. 

“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.”

We are all like children aspiring to be mature. How often do we seek out selfish and childish solutions to our problems? We need to put these childish things away from us. When we see Jesus face to face, not as we see Him now, dimly, then we will truly know all and capable of being fully mature in Him. 

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:1-13)

The Capable Woman

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. (Luke 8:1-3)

Someone mentioned these verses to me a few years ago. I must admit I'd overlooked them for many years. I find it interesting in ancient culture that Jesus' ministry appears to have been financially and physically supported by women, while the men seemed to primarily be witnesses, some emotional support and occasionally ministers of God’s word to others in Jesus’ name. Though the bible is very clear on gender roles it's interesting to note that so many women loved, provided for and ministered to Him the way loving mothers or sisters might. 

We so often see in modern times how the roles of men are seen as somehow better than the roles of women and yet it has been women who have in many ways been closer to Jesus' heart and ministries. It was women who Jesus first revealed Himself after His resurrection. It was a woman who with an expectant heart listened and believed at His feet. It was women who seemed to not only listen but to act on what Jesus taught. It was women who supported Jesus financially. It was women who had the boldness to stay with Him when nearly all others left. It was the example and gifts of women in Timothy’s life which Paul reminds him (almost as a sort of spiritual inheritance) to follow, not the men. It was a woman (my mother) who certainly had the most impact in my life both in an emotional and spiritual sense. However, it often seems many times the real life examples and the verses which detail the impact of women are somehow overlooked or seen as unimportant in the church and so perhaps the roles of women are seen as unimportant. As a result young girls are taught to believe they can fulfill the roles of men as well or better than men. And why not? Women can be as smart, successful and strong as any man right? Then the question becomes: what is the purpose of having distinctive roles? Can’t men do what women are called to do and women what men are? Shouldn’t positions and roles in life be determined more by ability rather than God?! A woman deserves the same benefits men have when they fulfill their roles; the same fame, power, money and opportunities for success in life… Right?!

My mother has been one of the wisest, intelligent, gifted, loving and godly people I’ve ever known. If she really wanted to I’m sure she could’ve been anything she put her mind to. However, she made a choice early in her life that she wanted to be a housewife and spend her time and energy into pouring into her family, especially her children instead of a career. Some women may think to themselves “what a waste!”, but my mother never regretted her decision to pursue what she believed was right. I’ve learned that just because you have the ability and competency to do something doesn’t mean you should pursue it. We have the choice to take the gifts, or crowns, God gives us and either put them on our heads or lay them at the feet of Jesus. It’s really just that simple. It should be clear that any of us can justify any of our actions, no matter how wicked. I read Hitler’s book a few years ago and found that he had tons of justifications, which sounded so good for a moment, even though Hitler is widely known as one of the most evil men of the 20th century. Even Hitler found seemingly valid justifications for the horrors he let loose on this world, so imagine how easy it would be to justify using the gifts God has given us to pursue wealth, fame and power in the Christian community?

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:43)

Now I’m not suggesting that every woman should fill some sort of stereotypical role or to be a slave to her family or even a stay at home mom. Neither would I suggest that men seek out fame, money, power or success. The roles were never intended to promote personal agendas but rather to leave room for God to work through us, while truly trusting in Him to provide for us. Men who teach and/or lead certainly have the opportunity to garner favor, fame, power and money if they seek this. Just the same women can garner fame even from their roles. Look at mother Theresa, even though she herself never wanted the fame, she has it none the less simply because she fulfilled her role as a woman of God in loving and ministering to the physical needs of the least of these and it was noticed. Most godly men and women fulfill their roles and never receive any recognition for it. My mother made a choice to be a stay at home mom and never looked back. She saw this as her service to Jesus and the best way to glorify Him was to pour into her three boys and her husband, my dad. She made the decision to stick by her husband even though he wasn’t the easiest person to live with and even though he didn’t meet her every need. She had the opportunity to use her gifts and talents to prosper herself, but she didn’t. There have been plenty of women who have seeming done much more than my mother and women who have certainly been way more popular, rich and famous than my mother, but I’m convinced God saw what my mother did and her reward is based on how much she loved and her obedience to God rather than on how successful she was, at least in a worldly sense. Fame and money will ultimately burn. It is our ability to be obedient to God, to love others and trust in Jesus which builds up eternal treasures.