Let Love Lead
… In Our Relationships – Part VI
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:13
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
You probably have heard the word “goat” used as an acronym for someone who is the “greatest of all time” for a particular thing.
It should not be surprising that any person or achievement that has the title of “greatest of all time” would be very difficult. Another person would soon claim the GOAT title if it were easy to achieve.
Our Key Verse for today is the GOAT of the teachings of Jesus… it is the greatest of all time. Love, God’s kind of love, is the greatest virtue! It is love that trumps all other virtues we might have or think of.
It is love that defines the true followers of Christ; Jesus said:
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35)
Letting love lead in all our relationships is hard; it takes a lot of work. But as we progress, the rewards of letting love lead become clear. To say that our relationships improve when we let love lead is a great understatement.
Some people want to golf like Tiger Woods, play football like Tom Brady, or play tennis like one of the Williams sisters. But very few are willing to do the work to achieve those levels of performance.
I know you want to have a great relationship with your spouse and kids. I know you want to have a great relationship with your neighbors and co-workers.
But who is willing to work at it and never give up? Who is willing to endure the failures of their efforts and keep going? Who is willing to face the unfair treatment of their spouse or others? Who is willing to do their best to respond with love?
These are the tough questions that all of us must ask ourselves if our commitments are going to last a lifetime.
When comparing faith, hope, and love, which one seems the most important? I think we would all say that all three are important.
One might say that “faith” is the most important since faith in Jesus supplies our salvation. Also, faith can move mountains, according to Jesus’s own words. Jesus also said that anything is possible if we believe (Mark 9:23). Therefore, it might seem reasonable that faith would be the GOAT of biblical teachings.
But we know that the Bible says “love” is the greater than faith and hope.
Do you agree with me that every Christ-follower must let love lead their every conversation and their every behavior?
As I stated earlier letting love lead every detail of our lives will be the hardest thing we ever try to do. But never forget two things: first, doing hard things brings great rewards and, second, God is always with us to help!
Father, I make the commitment to let Your love lead in every area of my life. I need your wisdom and strength every day. In Jesus’s Name I pray, amen.