Love – The Beginning

Vol 2 No 23 THEO'S DEVOS 061108

1 Corinthians 13:1 If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal.

If you speak two languages they call you bi-lingual. If you speak three languages they call you tri-lingual. If you only speak one language they call you American. An interesting note here is that there is no indication from anywhere in scripture that there is a language in heaven that is different than here on earth. All speaking by any heavenly character is always known by the earth creature being spoken to. To say that there is some heavenly language that is different than those on earth is not supported by scripture. Imagine what life would be like to speak any language in heaven or on earth. This would not only allow you to communicate with everyone on earth but it would allow you to study books in all languages. The opportunity for knowledge would be astounding.

It is so critical that at a time when we all did speak the same language, God stepped in an confounded that by introducing languages, plural, into the this world. It happened at Babel and it occurred because God saw that mankind would become completely self-centered having this capability. Language is the stuff that clearly marks a culture. It is the common ground of all people within a culture that brings it together and marks it as different from other cultures. All countries are marked by this and it is only the United States that has ever considered a change. The discussion of having a second language be part of our culture is something not known in any other country. It is an indication of the deterioration of our culture, that we contemplate it. I do not wish to imply that English is somehow superior to any other language, I only mean that it is the language of our culture and it binds us together as a country as no other distinctive can. There really is no other aspect of our country that is exclusive to us. When I call a company and they ask me to “Press one for English,” I wonder – Why? Why shouldn't English be the default and I press a number if I speak some other language.

OK so I digressed a bit there but it really is an important point. What our verse today says, however, is that even speaking all those languages means less than nothing if I do not have love. It would be like a meaningless noise. Imagine if speaking sounded like a loud gong. I can feel the migraine coming already. Or it would be like a clanging symbol, another Excedrin moment. You know both these sounds have their place but there is no such thing as a loud gong, or a clanging symbol, solo.

So how do I love others? Listen, I am no authority on this subject but the Bible is. God loves us and He is the only One who can define love. He is love and in 1 Corinthians13, He explains what He sees love as being. In the next few weeks we will look at this chapter and see what God means by love. I hope you find it interesting and helpful. I intend to rethink my idea about love as I contemplate my writing. Pray for me, and for yourself, as we unfold the mystery of love. Ask God that He will guide my fingers as I type the next few Theo's Devos. I am looking forward to it and may God use it to make you a more effective lover of persons. You might want to read the chapter again as we begin this journey together.

Incidentally, I know that some of you are hurting in some way and I want you to know that I am praying for you. You have let me know about concerns in your life and I can't wait to see how God asserts Himself on your behalf. God bless you all.


Theo