Monday, June 21, 2010

Love's Sums and Differences

Monday, June 21, 2010: 1 Corinthians 13:1

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

Background: Paul the Apostle writes to the Corinthian Church, in which many jostled for position and recognition, about a more excellent way: love.

If I speak in ‘tongues,’ human or heavenly, without love, what is my speech like? Imagine a cartoon in which every time a puppets mouth opens, a cymbal clangs!

Repeat this over and over again. This is the effect without love.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010: 1 Corinthians 13:2

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Wisdom + mountain-moving faith + prophesy – love = __? Zero.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010: 1 Corinthians 13:3

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Heavenly profit: Donate all to feed the hungry + martyrdom – love = __? Zero.

Thursday, June 24, 2010: 1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Future grades: Prophecy = F, tongues = F, knowledge = F; love = __? A!

Friday, June 25, 2010: 1 Corinthians 13:9–10

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Human knowledge = 1/ 1,000,000; human prophecy = 1/1,000,000: What happens at the end of human history? All things human = 0.

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