Mar 22 – If I Have Not Love !

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Love is a divine language. Even the mute can speak it, and the deaf can understand it. Love sacrifices. Love encourages. Love restores. Love leaves indelible imprints upon the heart. In the end, love alone triumphs.

The only force that holds human society together is love. Parents willingly sacrifice their comforts, leisure, and wealth because of their love for their children.

A little girl returning home from school joyfully gives a flower to her mother to express her love. The mother’s heart overflows with delight. Love deepens their bond.

A husband labours day and night to build a beautiful house. He names it after his beloved wife and says, “This home is for you.” In doing so, he expresses his love through action. The wife rejoices with immeasurable happiness.

In our life, we are surrounded by many forms of love. Parents raise us with love. Friends show us love. Schoolmates care for us. Relatives shower affection upon us. Some kinds of love bring joy only for a short time. Some selfish loves cling deceptively. Some false expressions of love bring deep disappointment.

Place all worldly forms of love on one side of a scale, and on the other side place the divine love described in 1 Corinthians 13 — you will find that divine love far outweighs them all. No other love can be compared with the love of Christ.

Selfish love demands, “Everything must come to me.” But divine love says, “Even if I have nothing, let me give what I have for others.” It is self-giving and sacrificial.

The height of love and the depth of affection were revealed in Christ. Like a shepherd tenderly seeking a lost sheep, He came searching for us and redeemed us. As it is written, there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life — and at Calvary He gave His life to make us His own.

Children of God, how unique and extraordinary is the love of our Lord Jesus, for us!

Verse for further meditation: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:12–13).