1 Corinthians 13 and a paraphrase

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Some children were asked what love is. The responses were quite interesting and instructive for us adults.

One said, "Love is when my mommy makes a cup of coffee for my daddy and takes a little taste before she gives it to him to make sure it tastes okay."

Another said, "Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you’ve left him alone all day."

A response was, "You really shouldn’t say, ’I love you’ unless you really mean it, but if you mean it you should say it a lot, people forget."

One boy said, "When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

And finally 7 year old Bobby said, "Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

When you think of love it brings us to 1 Corinthians 13.

Normally we read 1 Corinthians 13 at weddings when in reality it should be a part of our every day lives. Let me give you the NIV version with a personal paraphrase of each verse.

1If 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 raise my hands in church and sing in the spirit and pray really loud, but do not have love, I am only making a lot of noise with no substance)

2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

(If I have been serving God for a long time and work hard in the church - setting up tables, taking down chairs, but do not have love, it's all style but no substance)

3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

(If I show up at every service, and give in every offering, and lead in worship and pray for people, but do not have love, it doesn't get me anywhere with God)

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

(Love puts people first, it's always able to be gentle when spoken to in a harsh way, it doesn't make a big deal out of things it has done, it's not seeking to control everything)

5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

(Love doesn't try to always "put people in their place," it seeks first to understand and then to be understood, it doesn't always bring things up from the past in the midst of conflict)

6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

(Love speaks creatively and positively about people. It always things the best of people not the worst)

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

(You can never go wrong in showing love in any situation)

9For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

May we realize the reality of love in our lives.