| Can you imagine the scene in the church at Corinth as this epistle is being read out loud? Paul closed what we call chapter 12 with the words 'now I want to show you a better way still-the best way of all'. What would they be expecting? Then the words begin to flow from the reader, this wonderful hymn of love. It has been called the 'greatest, strongest, deepest words Paul ever wrote'. Paul had been speaking about the body of Christ and its members and its gifts. He is greatly concerned that the first desire pf the Corinthian church will be to love one another rather than just to show off their gifts. When Paul speaks about love he uses a wonderful word. It means the kind of love that God has for us. He loves us not because we are worthy, but simply because he is love. It is a love given whether it is received or returned or not. It is a love that seeks nothing for itself only the good of the one being loved. Paul says that kind of love is absolutely necessary if we are ever to do anything for Christ. First of all love is greater than any ability to speak in some other language. Love has a language all its own. Paul says love is really greater than knowledge. By this he means that we can know all about the Bible, but if we don't have love in our hearts as we share it with other people, It will have no real meaning for them. Knowledge has its place, but love is even greater. Why are we doing whatever we are doing for Christ? Is it out of some sense of duty or out of a sense of love? Are we witnessing for Christ because we feel we must or because we love the lost souls outside of Christ and long that they might know him too? Let this chapter search our hearts as we read it. A PRAYER: 'Lord, love this world through me.' | 
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