Category: 1 Corinthians

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

All our questions answered…wonderful

All our secrets revealed…terrifying

Beloved, this is yet another one of those spiritual temperature checks. How does your gut respond to this verse? Sure, we all get pumped up over the first part. Who doesn’t want to understand the mysteries of the universe and see God without the veil of church and metaphor?

But the second bit, that part about being fully known…

How does that hit you?

Of course God already knows us completely. Nothing is hidden from His eyes. Still, in our flesh we pretend, don’t we? We imagine that there is some secret nook within our souls that is known to no one but us. But when the day of glory comes all such pretending will be swept away, and we will be bare before Him.

So…does your heart leap at the thought?

or quail?

And why?

Just a little something to consider as you move through your day.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).

Have you ever been in a public restroom–say at a rest stop along the highway–where the mirrors were made of metal instead of glass? The idea is to prevent vandalism, and it may do that–but it doesn’t mirror particularly well. This is what Paul is talking about. The mirrors of his time were likely polished bronze, and the reflection was a little dark, a little hazy and distorted. 

I wouldn’t try putting in my contact lenses using one of those bad boys.

Today I see God’s reflection in the world and the people and the Church He created.

But it is a poor reflection, distorted by the mirror of this sinful and broken world.

One day,

one surpassingly glorious day

I will hear Him call my name

and I will turn away from the mirror

and I will see Him

face to face,

and at long last 

it will all make sense.

Come, Lord Jesus

Happy Friday, Beloved

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me (1 Corinthians 13:11).

I teach middle school.

You’re welcome.

Anyway, today is the first day of school. I will see scores of children being children and behaving as children behave. And off we will go through August and September and the holidays and into the new year, and as the school year progresses something amazing will happen.

Some of them will grow up, a little.

I say some, because many of them will continue to have burping contests and give each other wedgies well into their teens.

Or…you know…thirties

I say a little because they are still children, and it shows, even in the most adultiest of them. And that’s a good thing, because they are still children.

But, little by little, children learn to think. Little by little some of them begin to move out of the world of childish fantasy into a world of cause-and-effect reasoning. I say little by little because their brains are still developing, and reasoning is a skill that must be learned. I sat some because, well, look at society. It is right and good and natural for the child to grow and mature.

In yesterday’s verse, Paul said that prophecies and tongues and other spiritual gifts would pass away. When Perfection comes, these tools are nor longer needed. Just as the child grows up and begins to see the world as it really is, so we will grow up in Christ and, ultimately, when Christ returns, we will see reality as it really is.

We will finally be spiritual grownups.

Amen. Come. Lord Jesus.

Happy Thursday, Beloved

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears (1 Corinthians 13:8-10).

When perfection comes.

The word used here is teleion, which can also mean complete or fully mature. 

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice.

Perfect, as in “It is finished” perfect. 

The Law, the temple sacrifice, the ritual cleansings, the need to work and earn favor with God–the imperfect fading in the light of the Perfect.

One day, Beloved, Jesus will return, and once again, the imperfect will disappear.

Oh glorious day!

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).

What does this mean–Love never fails?

Look, we’ve all been through breakups, we’ve all had loved ones die, we’ve all seen people we’ve tried to love out of addiction or self-destructive behavior fall back into it over and over again. So, if Paul’s saying that love will keep all those things from happening, well, I’m not buying it.

Two things, Beloved

Actually, three things. First, nobody’s selling anything, so put your wallet away.

Second, I don’t think Paul is painting love as some kind of magic power that we can use. Notice, in the previous verses Paul said “Love is…” not, “The person who loves is…” I mean, even if you were perfectly patient and kind and protective and yada yada yada–and you’re not–you can’t expect that life will work as you will it to. That line of thinking takes us down the road of works and earning our salvation and Towers of Babel and all that business. Paul is talking about God’s love, which works in us and through us to do His will. 

Not our will

His

By the way, if you find yourself frustrated that God’s will lines up with your will less often than you would like, you are part of a very exclusive club called Humanity.

Third, you and I may be misdefining the word fail here. I mean, I usually think of the word fail as meaning not being able to complete the task. However, the word in the Greek, ekpipto, can also mean to end. In fact, that’s how some versions translate the verse: Love never ends. Again, we’re talking about love itself, which is from God, not our ability to love.

Whichever translation–fail or end–is closest to Paul’s meaning, the fact remains that he is talking about the love of God, the love that is perfect and all-powerful and that works in us to the limited extent that we can handle.

You fail, Beloved. 

Love never does.

Happy Tuesday

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Love requires what my grandma used to refer to as sticktoitiveness. You might know it as tenacity, grit, determination, persistence, or just plain stubbornness. Whatever you call it, you’re going to need it, because people are icky and loving them is difficult. We all carry hard-earned baggage through this sinful, broken world, and trying to tackle and love through these issues can be like taking down a redwood with a spork–it can be done, but it’s going to take a while, and you’re going to get blisters.

Yes, I just mixed several metaphors there, but you get the picture.

Beloved, infatuation is easy; love is difficult. God has not called us to infatuation. John 3:16 does not say that God was so infatuated with the world that He gave His Son.

Nope…that took love.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes…(1 Corinthians 13:7).

According to my super secret sources, the word translated “hope” in this verse is the Greek word elpizo, which means to wait for something with joy and confidence. This confidence is based on the promises of God, which are fully trustworthy though not yet fully fulfilled.

So, what does that mean here?

It means that love waits with joy and confidence.

For what?

For what God will do in the life of the beloved.

I’m not a Bible scholar, but it seems to me that to love in hope is to see people not just as they are, but as they will be. By the grace of God, the beloved will one day be conformed to the image of His Son, will one day be complete in Him. We may not see it today–ain’t THAT the truth–but if we look through the lens of hope, we can see them as God does, as the finished product they will one day be.

Hope is a powerful thing.

Happy Friday, Beloved

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts…(1 Corinthians 13:7).

How many story/sitcom/movie plots have revolved around the idea of a jealous lover?

Too many

Sometimes the results are hilarious; sometimes they are, quite literally, a horror show. But the lack of trust is always–always–a source of problems.

The simple truth is you can’t love someone if you don’t believe them, if you’re not willing to give the benefit of the doubt. Loving someone requires making yourself vulnerable and taking the chance that you will be hurt. 

But here’s a thing about trust: 

It’s a lot easier to trust someone who is trustworthy.

I mean, that’s pretty much what the adjective trustworthy denotes. 

And I don’t think Paul is calling us to be naive, foolish, twittling creatures who believe obvious lies and trust those who have been proven themselves to be grade A masters of evil. Nor is he teaching that we should enable someone who is enslaved to sin or mental illness because we love them. I mean, if your alcoholic brother asks you for cash, but promises that it’s for shoes not booze, do you trust him and hand over the money?

No, because being a fool for love is still being a fool.

We are called throughout Scripture to be wise, and there is no wisdom in empowering someone trapped in sickness and sin to continue their downward spiral. Frankly, there’s not much love there, either.

So where does that leave us, Beloved? 

I think we need to zoom in on the intent of this passage. Paul is not focused here on their worthiness, but on our willingness.  Are you willing, Beloved? Will you choose to believe the best, as long as wisdom and good sense allow you to?

I know, it all sounds confusing. But we are talking about love, are we not?

Happy Thursday, Beloved

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects…(1 Corinthians 13:7).

Two little children are asleep in their bed when an earthquake strikes.

Terrifying

It’s a massive quake, the biggest on record for this area, and their small home is instantly smashed into a pile of rubble. The children are found a day later, alive but pinned in the debris. The seven-year-old girl has only one hand free, and she is using it…to shield her little brother’s face.

That’s love.

This particular story happened several months ago in Syria, but that really isn’t important.

I mean, it’s important to them, but not to my overall point.

My point is, stories like this are as common as they are heartwarming. Any time there is a disaster, the stories emerge of selfless courage and sacrifice as someone stands between a loved one and danger. It’s the “throw yourself in front of a bullet, or a bus, or a stampeding herd of big stampeding animals” trope. 

My mom had this thing she used to do when she was driving. If she had to stop suddenly, she would fling her right arm across her passenger to protect them. It was instinctive, and as I often pointed out to her as an annoying teenager, it was useless. I mean, is her arm going to keep me from flying through the windshield? Would her hand not better serve on the steering wheel, helping to control the car?

Doesn’t matter

This was a mother’s automatic action to protect her child, and it was born out of love.

Love always protects.

As you move through your day, I hope you manage to avoid earthquakes and hurricanes and rampaging beasts and crashing cars. But I guarantee that there will be some opportunity for you to protect the one you love. It may be shielding an innocent mind from words they shouldn’t hear or images they shouldn’t see. It may be controlling your own anger and frustration so that it doesn’t spill over onto the other. It may be kneeling in prayer for one who is endangered by their own choices and actions. 

Keep your eyes open–the chance will come.

And you will protect.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6).

Love does not leave you to sin.

Some relationships make us better people. Like the “iron sharpens iron” verse (Proverbs 27:27), some people call you to think better, act better, basically be better. Just being with them draws you closer to God and seems to bring out the best in you.

Stick with those people. 

Because there are others, aren’t there? Those who, by word and example, bring you down. 

Maybe it’s  coarse joking. 

Maybe it’s encouragement to skip church. 

Maybe it’s taking a physical relationship way beyond what’s appropriate because you’re “in love.” 

Maybe it’s a friendly dare to engage in global ecoterrorism or kidnap your friend’s grandma so you can use the ransom money for a massive party at Chuck E. Cheese.

Here’s the deal, Beloved: if being with this person–whether it’s friendship or romance or family–doesn’t bring you closer to Christ, then it’s not love as God intended it.

So be careful who, and how, you love today.

Happy Tuesday