1 Corinthians 13 Part 1

I am old enough to remember the carnage that was the Vietnam War era. One of the most vivid and striking visions of that war was seeing a Buddhist monk set himself on fire to protest the American military presence in his home country. As a high school student at the time, loving life and looking forward to the future, I couldn't begin to understand why he would make such a sacrifice. Here was a monk willing to kill himself for an earthly cause. No doubt he assumed he was doing God's will. In the 13th chapter of Corinthians, Paul writes about love. In the first part of the chapter Paul contrast what love is and is not. Even if a person could speak the language of angels or understand great mysteries and not have love it would amount to nothing! Even if a person could have faith to move mountains or have knowledge of all deep revelations, without love it would amount to nothing. Giving all to the poor. Giving your body to be burned, it still does not profit a man! Many in today's Christian world think faith is the greatest gift there is. Paul closes the chapter by saying "now abideth faith, hope, and love these three, but the greatest of these is love!! Paul also said "love is the fulfilling of the law." If we have love, we will fulfill all that God wants from us. Jesus said "love God and love your neighbor as yourself.' Love is a fruit of the Spirit, we are not given love or baptized with love, we cultivate love. Fruit sometimes takes a long time to mature. Christ's one secret of the Christian life is LOVE!! O God help me to cultivate love so that your divine nature may be manifest in my life.