1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body,a but have not love, I gain nothing.
Thoughts: Hebrew writing and scripture often has a dual meaning- often making use of verbal irony (saying kind of the opposite of what you mean to make a point). So in our passage love is more than speaking (tongues or even flattery). Yet love certainly involves speaking- saying "I love you" is not all there is to love, but it is an important part of love.
So also is faith/speaking forth the truth (prophecy). Love involves belief and trust. We must believe in someone to truly love them. If we truly believe in someone, we begin to love them.
Love also means giving (all I possess to the poor, surrendering my body in martyrdom). Love without sacrifice is cheap. But love is not simply sacrifice. So the person who works all the time for their family but never spends time in love- may think they are loving them but they are falling short. Yet, if you love someone- you may lay your life down for them. Jesus said this- "Greater love has no one than this- that they lay down their lives for their friends."
Prayer: Lord, let me see love is not just speaking, belief or giving- yet it involves all three. Help me to understand love better, and understanding, give me grace to practice love more sincerely.
