Unfailing Love

[Charity] hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:7b-8)

Love will last forever. In eternities yet to come, love will continue to endure and exist. When our languages no longer exist, when prophesies cease to exist and knowledge is no longer acquired, love will still operate powerfully. We are called to learn to walk in love as we fulfill our calling as children of God. Paul gives three aspects for us to remember about love.

The first is that charity hopeth all things; hope is the attitude of positive expectation. Love endures long because it is willing to see with hope into the future. Love, agape love, God’s love, maintains an unwavering hope that is positive in word and action.

The second is that charity endureth all things. Endurance is the ability to continue to go through difficulty and hardship while remaining steadfast in what you believe.

The third is that charity never faileth. That means love never stops; it never sees a loss. Love will see everything through and where God’s love is sown with God’s power, there will always be a victory.

Learning how to walk in love is vitally important for believers. Sowing God’s love means I must extend mercy and compassion to those around me, even when it seems most challenging. Love demands that I love my neighbor as myself, to forgive as I have been forgiven, and to bear one another's burdens when they need the help and support.

Practical Application

How can you actively sow love today? Is it a kind word and refusing to change your attitude because someone else has one? Is it giving to someone you know who has a need? Decide today to follow the Holy Spirit about how you can act on the love that is within you toward others.

Romans 8:24; 2 Timothy 2:10

Your Words Make a Difference

The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:23-24)

Proverbs 16:23-24 says those who are wise teach their mouth.

What does it mean if something needs to be taught? It doesn’t have the knowledge, insight, and experience to think otherwise. Your mouth will not automatically speak faith, appreciation, and or hope. Without teaching your mouth, it will automatically complain, talk about the negative, and doubt. It must be trained to speak right.

When you train your mouth, Proverbs 16:24 says that your words will be like a honeycomb. Not only are they sweet, but they also bring health and strength.

It’s very important for married people to understand this truth. Both husband and wife need to have words that are edifying and encouraging sown into them.

A woman needs to hear that she is desired, safe, and loved from her husband. This helps her feel secure and protected by a man.

However, many wives fail to realize how much a man needs to be poured into by words every single day. He wants to feel appreciated and seen. Every young man wants those in their life to tell them they are good enough. They are constantly searching for this to be poured into them. In my own life, I know firsthand how much the words of my wife affect me and her positive words change me for the better.

If you do not purposely pour encouraging words into your husband or wife, someone else will. That is how affairs start.

Practical Application

Your words should bring health, faith, and life to those around you. What are the words you are known for speaking? Decide to be known as someone who speaks words of faith. Evaluate your speech today and adjust your words to match your beliefs.

Proverbs 12:18; Proverbs 15:23

Harnessing the Power of Words

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. (Proverbs 26:22-23)

Words are carriers. By your words, you can carry heavenly things, such as faith, love, joy, and peace. Your words can also carry things that come from hell like death in relationships, debt in finances, and destruction of relationships.

As Christians, we have a profound responsibility to pay attention to the words we say because they affect everyone who hears them. Personally, I have experienced both the blessing and the harm that words can bring. People have hurt me deeply, but others they have helped me tremendously through the words they have said.

In fact, Proverbs says that someone with burning lips (meaning they are always talking and can’t keep anything inside of them) coupled together with a wicked heart (they want wrong to happen to others) is just like a potsherd covered with silver dross. A potsherd is a broken piece of pottery and dross is the worthless material that is removed when refining silver.

That Scripture means that both the piece and what covers the piece is worthless. It is an illustration of someone whose heart is evil and whose words are plentiful but poisonous.

Avoid talebearers and seek to surround yourself with people who speak encouraging and positive words that agree with God’s Word.

Practical Application

Who is around you today that you can encourage? Into whom can you sow words of faith? Always remember the importance of speaking words that build up rather than tear down, that heal rather than harm.

Proverbs 10:18; Ezekiel 33:31