Episode Transcript
CONSECRATION
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
SCRIPTURE
1 Corinthians 13 NIV
If I speak in the tongues of men 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.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
CONSIDER THIS
How do you define success? In the world’s eyes, success is often measured by a combination of accomplishments, recognition, material wealth, physical appearance, and status. Even in Christian circles, success might be defined by doing the right things—serving faithfully, achieving great things for God, or mastering spiritual disciplines.
The kingdom of God presents a different metric of success: love.
This shifts the focus entirely. A life with few accolades, little recognition, or nothing impressive to list on a résumé carries immeasurable value if it is marked by love. The kingdom’s value system flips the question from “What did you do today?” to “How did you go about your day? Was it in love?”
In God’s eyes, how we do things matters more than what we do. The manner in which we carry out the work matters more than the work itself. Words, gifts, faith, good deeds—even the most self-sacrificial actions—have no real value if they are not done in love.
These words contain a sobering reality that serves as a warning: It is possible to express spiritual gifts, have great faith, practice generosity, and do all the Christian “stuff,” yet still fail to love. Someone might preach a powerful sermon, be part of a thriving ministry, or give generously to those in need, but if their actions are not rooted in love, Paul says they amount to nothing.
This warning is especially poignant in light of recent failures in church leadership. Many gifted leaders have fallen, not because they lacked gifts, calling, or talent, but because their character wasn’t grounded in love.
Love is not just the ideal, but the indicator of spiritual health and maturity in the kingdom of God. Giftedness is not the same as spiritual maturity. We need to recover kingdom value for maturity in love over giftedness and spiritual charisma.
How do we know if we have love? How can we recognize love in us and in others?
Paul provides a few sentences that serve as a thermometer for our love in everyday life:
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.
Love never fails. (vv. 4–8a)
Contrary to its popular use, this passage was not written to be read exclusively at weddings. These words go far beyond a romantic context. They apply to our friendships, our interactions with coworkers, our treatment of family members, and even our encounters with strangers.
Reading these words invites us to ask: Does my love look like this? Am I patient and kind? Do I avoid envy, boasting, and pride? Do I dishonor others, seek my own interests, or hold grudges?
If we answer these questions honestly, we realize that although love never fails, we often fail to love. Failing to love isn’t always dramatic—it shows up in the small, ordinary moments of life. It’s the impatient response to an interruption, the self-righteous attitude in a disagreement, or the lack of kindness to someone who can’t repay us.
The standard can feel impossibly high. Who among us can live this out perfectly? Even starting with the first line, “love is patient” (v. 4), is enough to convict most of us.
Our failures to love can actually draw us deeper into the love of God. These attributes are not simply ideals we aspire to; they’re a reflection of God’s own love for us. In other words, we aren’t giving what we haven’t received. While we may fail in the moment, we are being transformed into people who reflect the love of Christ more fully. Our failures to love are not the end of the story—they are opportunities to turn back to God, receive His love, and let it overflow into our relationships.
The kind of love Paul describes doesn’t come naturally. We don’t wake up thinking, I really feel like being patient and humble today. Love is a daily, intentional choice—a decision to act in ways that reflect God’s love, even when we don’t feel like it.
One of the most encouraging promises in the New Testament is found in Philippians 2:13: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (NLT). This means the desire to love well is itself evidence that the Spirit is already at work in us. Through the Holy Spirit, we are given not only the gifts we need to serve others, but also the capacity and the power to love—the very thing that allows us to carry those gifts well.
The language Paul uses at the end of the passage suggests that we can grow in love. As we mature in faith, we’re invited to leave behind childish ways of thinking and step into a deeper understanding and demonstration of love.
In many ways, the Christian life is a journey of love: receiving it, being transformed by it, and sharing it with the world. This is not a path we walk alone. The Spirit is at work within us, shaping us day by day into people who reflect God’s love more fully. And we live in the hope that, one day, we will see Him face to face—the one whose love never fails, who loves perfectly and without end.
RESPONSE PROMPTS
Are there areas in your life where you’re doing the Christian “stuff” without love? In a world that often values success, status, and performance, how can you more deeply embrace the kingdom perspective that love is the greatest measure of success?
PRAYER
Father, thank You that Your love never fails. I confess the ways in which I fail to love You, others, and myself daily. I acknowledge that I have not valued the way of love as You do. Thank You, Jesus, for showing the world what love looks like, and that Your love covers all of my failures to love. Holy Spirit, I open myself to You and ask You to give me the desire and the power to love well. Amen.
