Just the Right Ingredient
By Jen Wollner
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 than can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
By Jen Wollner
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 than can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Galatians
5:22-23 (NIV, emphasis added)
“Oh, no! Why isn’t this
working?” I said with irritation as I was preparing my dessert. I looked back
to the recipe, reading it several times over, looking for my mistake. “I’ve
followed it exactly. What’s the problem?” Again, I recounted my steps and
couldn’t figure out what I had missed. Then it hit me. I frantically looked
through the garbage for the package of one of the ingredients. Yep. That was
it. You need to use instant pudding when making a trifle, not cook-and-serve pudding!
Such a small thing, but it made all the difference. Without this one ingredient
right, the whole thing was a flop. None of the other perfectly good ingredients
could make up for the one that was missing.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that love is kind of like that, too. It’s the ingredient in our lives that brings everything else together. We can have any number of wonderful spiritual gifts, but without love, we have nothing, are nothing and gain nothing. Love is the character trait that makes all of our gifts and talents work the way they are supposed to, according to God’s design. If we are lacking in love, we are missing the very thing that makes the biggest impact in our lives and the lives of others.
Friends, as we seek to develop the unique gifts the Lord has given to us, let’s not forget, first and foremost, to be characterized by our love. A love that is patient and kind. A love that doesn’t envy or boast. A love that isn’t proud, rude, self-seeking or easily angered. A love that keeps no record of the wrongs of others. A love that doesn’t delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. A love that always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.
Let’s make an intentional decision to daily demonstrate the greatest gift of God…love.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you characterized by your love? What would others around you say?
2. To whom and in what way could you show godly love today?
FURTHER READING:
1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 John 3:16-18
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that love is kind of like that, too. It’s the ingredient in our lives that brings everything else together. We can have any number of wonderful spiritual gifts, but without love, we have nothing, are nothing and gain nothing. Love is the character trait that makes all of our gifts and talents work the way they are supposed to, according to God’s design. If we are lacking in love, we are missing the very thing that makes the biggest impact in our lives and the lives of others.
Friends, as we seek to develop the unique gifts the Lord has given to us, let’s not forget, first and foremost, to be characterized by our love. A love that is patient and kind. A love that doesn’t envy or boast. A love that isn’t proud, rude, self-seeking or easily angered. A love that keeps no record of the wrongs of others. A love that doesn’t delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. A love that always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres.
Let’s make an intentional decision to daily demonstrate the greatest gift of God…love.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you characterized by your love? What would others around you say?
2. To whom and in what way could you show godly love today?
FURTHER READING:
1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 John 3:16-18
Jen
and her husband are busily parenting three elementary-aged children. She serves
on the leadership team for Mission: Hope, Oakwood’s orphan care ministry.
