ESOCS Devotional 4 July 2021
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13
MEMORY VERSE: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 KJV).
Charity is kindness and sympathy towards other people (especially the less privileged). The Bible defines it as LOVE. In morally corrupt Corinth, love had become a mixed-up term with little meaning. Today, our society is still confused about love (and lust – a psychological force that produces intense desire, vain imaginations, carnal desires, envy). Love is godly while lust (carnal desires) is ungodly.
Love is utterly unselfish and goes against our natural inclinations. It is the greatest of all human qualities and it is an attribute of God Himself (1 John 4:8). It is kind, patient, has no pride, no envy, thinks of no evil, gives selfless service, etc. It is greater than prophecy, tongues, knowledge, wisdom, and faith. It drives them all. That is why it is greater than them all (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 8, 13). God’s kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inwards towards ourselves.
What basic lessons do we have here? First, those who have the gifts of prophecy, tongues, wisdom, knowledge and understanding, teaching of the word of God, administration, evangelism, shepherding etc., and function as such in their churches, but do not have the spirit of LOVE, are like a ‘drum that produces no sound’; they are nobody, and it is of no benefit spiritually or otherwise to them according to our Bible passage (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Again, this is also true of those who have the faith that moves mountain but do not exercise LOVE in their operation. Faith, hope, and charity are all good, but love is the greatest of them all (verse 13).
Faith is the foundation; hope is the attitude and focus; love is the driving force and action. God is love; His word proclaims it.
- Do you have and show the godly kind of love? If no, why?
- In humility, ask God to give you the spirit of such love.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: Proverbs 10:12; 15:17; John 15:12, 13, 17; 1 John 4:7-12
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ESOCS Devotional 4 July 2021
