When you start to build a kit for an intended purpose, you generally start with what you first think is most important. So, you first need to know the purpose of the kit. Duh! If I’m putting together an emergency kit for my neck of the woods, we deal with earthquakes long before thinking about hurricanes or tornadoes. The same is true about assembling a toolbox – Standard or metric?
Somewhere in the assembling process,
you think about the container for the pieces,
its portability,
and whether it’s safe to lug around all the time!
Yesterday, I wrote how Love is your greatest attribute. It’s our bedrock and foundational! We learn that Jesus is the Cornerstone of that foundation, and it’s from him we learn the most about love in action. (Psalms 118:22, Matthew 21:42, etc.)
From this attribute, you define the remainder of who you are.
While it’s true that the Apostle Paul shared “Love” as the greatest of the three words he wrote about (1 Corinthians 13), it’s not that we discount the other two as secondary. Faith and Hope are key attributes, but Love comes in so many flavors! He defines it as the “greatest.” Perhaps that’s why we find it in so many flavors!
The Size of Love
A few years ago, I needed to replace some screwdrivers in my jack-of-all-trades toolbox. It was easier buying a blister pack with a dozen or so at once and cheaper than buying them by the piece and for a particular size job.
I noticed one thing, the more delicate the “blade,” the smaller the shaft and handle. In other words, you treat the object of focus as if you had kid gloves. The bigger the “blade,” the larger the shaft and handle, and the thicker the metal. Sometimes the shaft is longer or fairly short, depending on the need. Again, you treat the object of focus as before. Only, you need leverage and strength to turn or pry.
This is true with love!
Love Comes in All Shapes and Sizes
We’ve seen love turn the tail from sadness and gloom to joy and hope. Equally, we’ve noticed how a small tear in our fabric may need greater love than that, which is obviously a bigger problem. A hole in my shirt needs a fairly fine needle and thread, not an awl with rawhide strips!
Love provides the resources to see all other attributes abound!
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing,
in faith, and utterance, and knowledge,
and in all diligence, and in your love to us,
see that ye abound in this grace also.
I speak not by commandment
but by occasion of the forwardness of others
and to prove the sincerity of your love.
(2 Corinthians 8:7-8 KJV)
Notice Paul’s reference. To prove the sincerity of your love, not as a commandment, but in everything you abound (faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence, grace). Love is proven in all actions we take.
This is the power of Love – it changes all other attributes and actions because everything revolves around Love.
Go ahead, re-read the Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13) in whatever translation you wish. You will find that nothing matters if first, you don’t have love! That love will come in many shapes and sizes.