I was in high school when my youth pastor talked one Sunday about 1 Corinthians 13 and how we can't please God without faith, and yet love is greater. I was really struck by that thought. I've been thinking a lot about that lately along with 2 Peter 1:5-7:
"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love."
I know not every list in the Bible is progressive or chronological, but this one seems to me like it is. Faith comes first. Then you grow in knowledge and virtue. Self-control and endurance are another level; they lead to godliness. I thought it was interesting that Peter made virtue and godliness two different things. He also lists brotherly kindness and love as two different things. And love is at the end- assumably not because it's least important but because it's the hardest.
Lately I've been thinking a lot about that last point- how hard love is. Not just that it's hard to do, but I'm often not even sure what it looks like in a situation. It's more than the absence of sinning against someone. It's more than being kind. It's more than serving.
I read the accounts of how Jesus relates to people- how He sees them and reaches out to them and gives Himself to them and speaks words that bring them life. Then I look at my little world and wonder what that would look like. Obviously, I'm not Jesus, I can't give people life. But I am called to love. What does loving my family look like? What about my friends and my neighbors and my church?
Does anyone know any good resources (books, Bible studies, articles, messages, etc) on loving? Thanks for your help!
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