"DO" and "BE" love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

¹ If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;^a]">[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

⁸ Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages^b]">[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

The more I read about this passage, the more it gives me more joy to love. A few things I've highlighted that spoke to me the most:

...and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.

Faith without deeds is dead. To show love is to "do" love and "be" love (through Christ, because God is love Himself). Even with a huge amount of faith, but if we're not able to love others, our faith is useless. Therefore, DO and BE love.

...It does not demand its own way.

Love does not demand it's own. It gives. It shares. It seeks the interest of others. Therefore, if you "do" and "be" love, you need to be selfless. Don't think only about your own, but of others.

...But love will last forever!

Everything on earth will go away, but love won't. On a practical side, material things will go, but love with keep everything in tact. Everything may pass, but God's Word- an expression of His love for us, our guide, our map, lives forever. Therefore, DO and BE love.

LORD, help me to love like you do. Please give me a heart that is like yours. Help me to not only have faith, but to show my faith by what I do. May you help me to not only think about my own interests but also of others. I want to love just like you - true love that will last forever! I love you Jesus. Thank you soooo much for loving me. The more I think about the things you've done for me and given me, the more I fall in love with you. Thank you for everything. For the people you have used to draw me close to You. Help me to also be an instrument to bring them close to You. Guide my thoughts, my words and my actions, that I may only act out of love. Help me to truly "do" and "be" love to You and to Your people. In Jesus' name, amen.