“What’s Love Got To Do With It?

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Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Thomas Cheong

Love is one of the most important words in the English language—and the most confusing.
We would all agree that love plays a central role in life. We are told that “love makes the world
go round.” The word love appears in thousands of books, songs, magazines, and movies. We
use the word love all the time. We say, “I love Italian food.” “I love to surf.” “I love to read.” “I love
the ocean.” “I love sunsets.” “I love Hawaii.” “I love God.” “I love my parents.” “I love my children.” “I
love my dog.”

And so, what exactly is love? I like what the Bible has to say about love. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
the Apostle Paul describes love this way:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not
insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but
rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

It is interesting to note that for the Apostle Paul, love is not an abstract quality or idea, but
rather love is behavior, love is action.1 Perhaps an interesting way to test your love barometer
level is to substitute your name in place of the noun “love.” For example:

Thomas is patient; Thomas is kind; Thomas is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
He does not insist on his own way; he is not irritable or resentful; he does not rejoice in
wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.

Yikes!!! Thomas’ love barometer level is quite low and repentance and forgiveness are in
order!!! The good news is that love has “already been given concrete expression in the coming
of Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the world.”2 Doesn’t Paul’s description of love capture well
the life and ministry of Jesus?3

Jesus is patient; Jesus is kind; Jesus is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. He does not
insist on His own way; He is not irritable or resentful; He does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but
rejoices in the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans,
1987), 628.
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid, 640.
 DAY 91

P R AY E R
Lord, I repent of those times when my behavior and actions did not reflect the love of Christ.
Please help me to raise my love barometer level. In Your name, Amen.

QUESTIONS
To test your love barometer level, substitute your name in place of the noun “love” in
1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Then answer the following questions:

How does that make you feel?

Are there any areas of repentance and forgiveness that stand out?

Describe how you will raise your love barometer level this week.

MY REFLECTIONS
Does any particular verse (SCRIPTURE) in today’s reading speak to you?

OBSERVE what this verse is saying to you:

How can you APPLY this verse to your life today?

My PRAYER for today is: