Agape in Action

I Corinthians 13:1–7 “If I speak in the tongues of mortals or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

One of the most recognisable set of verses in the bible, I Corinthians 13 is the Apostle Paul exhorting the church and appealing to love amidst the squabbling over spiritual gifts, service, and whatever virtues anyone might boast of, if these noble deeds aren’t done in true love, it would mean nothing. Our LORD said of the greatest commandments, love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these (Mark 12:30–31),” in short, love God, love people. Further down, St Paul explains what this word “love” means, Kieth Krell of Bible.Org notes, “Love” is a word that can only be properly defined in terms of action, attitude, and behavior. St. Paul has no room for abstract, theoretical definitions; instead, he wants us to know what love looks like when we see it. Thus, he paints fifteen separate portraits of love. Yes, that’s right: in the space of four short verses Paul uses fifteen verbs, all of which have “love” as their subject. Our contemporary definition of love is that it is an emotion or a feeling—we love our jobs, we love sports, we love pizza. In the biblical definition of agape, love acts, for love is an action, not an emotion. Every expression in the Bible that refers to God’s love shows God in action; in love He sent His Son to be our Savior and our Redeemer: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).” Áγάπη (agape), the greatest form of love, is so because it is expressed in action propelled by genuinely noble intent; it is patient, it is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (vv. 4–7). Like Linus, many times we all find it difficult to satisfy the second greatest commandment to love our neighbour. The LORD, however, insists we do it, and St. Paul reinforces it here and teaches us what this practically looks like. I pray as the Persian mystic and poet Rumi aspired to as he praised God for the love God has exhibited in his life, “one day, I shall be a lover like You!”