Last week my wife had five teeth removed—all in one morning. Ouch. Needless to say, it’s been a painful and—due to difficulties with some of the pain medication—nauseating experience for her. As she’s been pretty much bedridden over the past several days, my caregiving repertoire has included ice packs, warm washcloths, liquids, soft foods, and simply spending time with her. She has wanted me to be there.
As I’ve strived to love Lynn sacrificially, I’ve been reminded of 1 Corinthians 13. This chapter, a perennial favorite for wedding texts, presents God’s agape love. Three times in verses 1-3, Paul writes that even if we exercise our spiritual gifts in amazing ways, but don’t “love others,” it amounts to “nothing.”
It is interesting that the “Love Chapter” is sandwiched between two chapters focusing on spiritual gifts and how believers should use them for a “way of life that is best of all” (12:31). Paul’s point is that God has given us spiritual gifts to use, but they must be exercised in love—real love that is kind, humble, forgiving, and persevering (vv.4-8).
God reveals that kind of love in the way the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share a deep and permanent affection for one another. This is the agape that He wants us to show to others—especially our spouses.
If I had simply brought Lynn my “gifts” of comfort this past week, but didn’t have God’s love in my heart, I would have been a “noisy gong” (v.1) and truly clueless. Loving those closest to us as well as others in the body of Christ requires a sacrificial spirit that flows from God.
It isn’t merely bringing your gifts, it’s being there because of love.
More:
• Galatians 6:2
• Colossians 3:19
• 1 Timothy 5:8
Next:
How have you displayed God’s agape love to others this week? How will you change your ways to better love someone close to you?
kenriquez on November 25, 2009 at 5:25 am
Bro. Tom,
I was moved by your article, especially with the way you have showed your love and care to your loving wife in her health condition.God indeed has just reminded me of the kind of love i must demonstrate to people; His kind of love – unconditional, sacrificial, steadfast.
I am a Filipino nurse and for me, the experience of providing nursing care to sick people is more than a job title and a duty to accomplish, i believe it’s an opportunity to display agape love towards people.
God bless and keep you at all times.
tom felten on November 25, 2009 at 8:12 am
kenriquez, thank you so much for your example of living out God’s agape! I am inspired by your desire be His hands and feet while you serve others.
Gary4orphans on November 25, 2009 at 9:12 am
Tom: Love your comments as always. Certainly being there for our family and friends, people we personally know is vital. I would only want to encourage that we also remember that the believers of the world are our extended family. We may not see them in person now on Earth but we will see them in eternity. We can “be there” for our distant brothers and sisters, perhaps not physically, but by being there in prayer and by giving loving attention to their present needs. It is a blessing that our agape reach is not limited to those within our physical grasp. May we always remember to help not only those physically near by but also those outside of our field of vision. I think it gives our agapeness balance.
loananna on November 25, 2009 at 9:58 am
Your words touched me, as this week my ex-brother in law had a heart attack. I still talk to one of my ex-brother in law and his wife, this one though has walked out of everyone lifes after his mother died. My daughters all looked to me for direction and words as they were afraid for his condition, so i took them to visit him and remind him that the “family” was still there for him. This was hard at first since after my divorce from his older brother, let’s just say he wasn’t too happy with me. The Lord put it on my heart to share the word of God with him and pray with him and my girls and show him that we all still loved him, though he didn’t act like he loved us. My girls gave their uncle scripture to meditate on and we prayed for his salvation.His triple bypass went smooth and he is still in ICU. Please continue to lift up Mario on his recovery.
Lightweaver on November 25, 2009 at 10:28 am
I couldn’t agree more. What a wonderful analogy. All that we are and all that we do as Christians should be motivated by and carried out in love.
Our very attitude and speech that is witnessed by others always needs to be kept in “check.” Christians are the first to have fingers pointed at, the first to be judged, and the first that the nonbelievers speculate as to whether they are genuine or phoney when it comes to walking the talk.
In other words, it will never be enough to merely “say you are a Christian,” you better be prepared to back it up. The only way we can do that is to include the “Cross of Calvary” in our journey.
Johana on November 25, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Dear Tom,
Thank you for a great article.
My fiance died last week on a heart attack … and when I read this, I remember how I used to take care of him when he used to sick. I was not a good “nurse” to him. I took care of him, but sometimes with a frown face .. coz he took almost all my time to take care of him. It doesn’t meant that I didn’t love him. It’s because I was so stressed out. He was sick .. need the money .. I need to go to work, but can’t finish it because he always ask me to come home as soon as possible. The stress .. the conflicts ….
Now .. I’ve regret of what I’ve done. I should have been kinder to him. I’ve learn the hard way … I’ve managed to learn how to be a good “nurse” not just the function .. but also the compassion. Thank you ….
JPW on November 28, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I read Tom’s comment, “it’s being there because of love” is so what we are meant to do in our own daily journey.
Here in the UK there is a ministry called Street Pastors. As volunteers we go out on the streets of our towns and cities, on all weekends from around 2200 hours until the early hours, in order to bring Christian reassurance and peace to our streets.
The wonderful thing is that our government’s Home Office has seen the value of this ministry across the country and in our own city of Wolverhampton the local Primary Care Trust (part of the NHS – National Health Service) asked Street Pastors to join with the police, the Red Cross and the city council for last year’s “Keep It Safe” campaign over the Christmas/New Year period. The campaign was so successful in bringing down violent assults and drunken behaviour that our Street Pastors are again involved this year.
Isn’t it wonderful how when we stand together as Christians from different churches that society notices the difference within us and asks the church to be involved not merely to bring our gifts, but because they can see the love in our actions?
To see more about our local Street Pastors visit:
http://www.streetpastors.co.uk/ProjectArea/Midlands/Wolverhampton/tabid/479/Default.aspx
God bless