THIS is what love's got to do with it!

"but have not love..."

1 Corinthians 13:1

Recently, I opined on the harmony created by the diversity of gifts in Christians.  I referenced 1 Corinthians 12, and the verses that tell us that all our gifts are from the Holy Spirit, and they are given for the good of all of us.

That chapter has kinda stuck with me over the past few days, for a couple of reasons.   First of all, all the different gifts that are mentioned ~ wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues...  All of them are the work of the Holy Spirit.  But the chapter goes on to compare Christians in the body of Christ, to parts of the human body.  All parts of the body work together, each doing what it was designed and created to do.   Did you know that it takes about 200 muscles for you to take one step?  Now that's cooperation!  And unless you have pain for some reason, you probably don't give any thought to any of them.  Heck, just imagine how many muscles it takes just to stand still!  So we can see what a great illustration it is to compare our role in the body of Christ, to the role of each of our body parts.

Next chapter 12 takes it a step further, emphasizing that no one part ~ in other words, no one gift ~ is more important than any other.   "If the whole body were an eye," says verse 17, "where would the sense of hearing be?"  And in verse 21, "The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!'  Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable."  Don't you love the idea of that?  The parts ~ the people ~ that seem weaker are indispensable!  I love that notion.   Makes me rethink the people in my life I think are "weak"!

The other reason I've been thinking about this chapter a lot lately, is that it teaches on how we should feel about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  And the answer to that is in both chapter 12, and chapter 13.  Chapter 12 ends with a sentence that leads you directly to Chapter 13.  After all his discussion about spiritual gifts, and how they are used to benefit the Body of Christ, Paul says, "And yet I will show you the most excellent way."  Now doesn't that intrigue you?  Makes you wonder what he's going to say next, and what he says... is Chapter 13.  Also known as: "The Love Chapter".  You probably know that chapter well, even if you don't know you know, but did you ever realize it was a comment on all those gifts of the Holy Spirit?  Cuz I never did.

If we have the gift of speaking in tongues,
     but do not have love,
          we are a clanging cymbal.

If we have the gift of prophecy,
     understanding of mysteries,
          all knowledge,
               or a faith that can move mountains,
     but do not have love,
          we have nothing.

If we have the gift of generosity,
     and give all we have to the poor,
     but have not love,
          we gain nothing.

Chapter 12 impresses upon us the value of gifts, and the origin ~ the Holy Spirit.  And chapter 14, verse 1 tells us that we should desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we don't see in ourselves.  But chapter 13 reminds us that motivation matters.  Your ability to bless others is worth nothing, if it's not motivated by love.

~ "Follow the way of love

and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit." ~

1 Corinthians 14:1