Love Never Fails

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it."  Song of Solomon 8:7a

Scottish evangelist Henry Drummond said, "In the heart of Africa, among the great lakes, I have come across black men and women who remembered the only white man they ever saw -- David Livingstone, and as you cross his footsteps in that dark continent, men's faces light up as they speak of the kind doctor who passed there years ago. They could not understand him, but they felt the love that beat in his heart."

We have recently celebrated Valentine's Day, the holiday that is centered around the word "love." For restaurants, florists, bakeries, and candy shops, this has become one of the most lucrative days of the year. There is no shortage of experts on television telling us how to best express our love to those we care about. However, what the world considers to be love many times is totally different than God's definition and description of love as revealed in the Bible. 

Love should be the distinguishing mark of a Christian and the motivation for everything we do.

The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian church that the best way to live the Christian life is to love God and people. To do that effectively, we need to know how God describes love. Paul gives us the nature and characteristics of Christian love in the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians.

Love is essential.  In the first three verses of this chapter, Paul states that we can be gifted, charitable, full of knowledge and faith, but if we do not have love, our works are completely unprofitable.

The love of God is effective.  In verses 4-7, Paul lists the characteristics of love.

"Charity suffereth long and is kind."  I Corinthians 13:4a

Harry Emerson Fosdick pointed out that no one treated President Abraham Lincoln with more contempt than did his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. He called the President 'a low cunning clown,' and nicknamed him 'the original gorilla' and said that the explorer Paul Du Chaillu was a fool to wander about Africa trying to capture a gorilla when he could have found one so easily at Springfield, Illinois. Abraham Lincoln said nothing. He considered Stanton to be the best man for the job, and he treated him with every courtesy. The years went by. The night came when an assassin's bullet murdered Lincoln. In the little room to which the President's body was taken stood Edwin Stanton, and looking down on Lincoln's silent face, he said through his tears: 'There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen.'

In the end, the long-suffering and kindness of love conquered hate and contempt.

"Charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up."   I Corinthians 13:4b

Envy has no place in the body of Christ. If we truly love each other, we will not be envious when other believers are more talented or gifted than we are. Love will keep us from being jealous of the position, accomplishments, or accolades of others.

Love is not boastful nor inflated with its own importance. Love is not prideful and does not seek self-glory. Jose Cubero Sanchez was one of Spain's most famous matadors. In a 1985 bullfight, the twenty-one year old made a tragic mistake. He made a final thrust of his sword into a bleeding bull, which then collapsed. Cubero then turned to face the crowd, bowing to their thunderous applause. The bull, however, was not dead. It rose and lunged at the unsuspecting matador, its horn piercing his back and puncturing his heart. His last words were, "Pali, this bull has killed me!" His pride and inflated ego had played a part in his demise as well. Too many people have made the mistake of thinking pride was dead, only to have it raise its ugly head.

Great people never think of their own importance.

According to verse five, love does not behave unseemly, which means it is not crude or vulgar. Love also does not insist upon its rights. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who always insist upon their privileges, and those who always remember their responsibilities; those who are always thinking of what life owes them, and those who never forget what they owe life.

The Bible admonishes us to put others before ourselves.

Love is not easily provoked. Anger is very destructive. Men and women who cannot control their temper do great harm to their testimony for Christ. When we lose our tempers, we lose everything.

"Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth."  I Corinthians 13:6

When you love someone, you do not find pleasure in them being hurt or harmed in any way; love also does not rejoice when trouble strikes our enemies.

"Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth."  Proverbs 24:17a

Paul stated in verse seven that love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things. Love beareth all things, which means it conceals the errors and faults of others. Love never judges without all the facts. It is willing to believe the best in others.

Love never ceases to hope. Jesus believed no one is beyond hope, and that should also be our attitude. Today the word "Einstein" is synonymous with genius, but young Albert did not speak fluently until the age of nine, causing teachers to think he was slow. He was expelled from school and refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. He went on to revolutionize science and physics. He won the Nobel Prize with his research, leading the U.S. to build an atomic bomb.

Adam Clarke was a great theologian, but at school, he was slow to learn. One day in front of a distinguished visitor, the teacher singled out Adam Clarke and said: 'That is the stupidest boy in the school.' Before he left the school, the visitor came to Adam and said kindly: 'Never mind, my boy, you may be a great scholar someday. Try hard and keep on trying.'

You never know when you may speak a simple word of hope into a child or adult that will change their life.

Love endures all things. Love does not quit but keeps on going despite problems, setbacks, or defeats.

Not only is love essential and effective, but it is also eternal.

"Charity never faileth."  I Corinthians 13:8a

The love of God will never cease. We who have believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior will enjoy His love for all eternity!

The love of God is not an affectionate feeling; it is an action. It is the love with which God created us, that caused Jesus Christ to sacrifice Himself to save us, is a remedy for frequent, sinful practices, and is effective for promoting the fruit of the Spirit in believers.

Most importantly, when the love of God is evident in the lives of Christians, it will point a dying, hurting world to Jesus Christ!

"By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another."  John 13:35