A Life Worthy

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 (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