Week 11—Monday 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
THE HIGHEST VALUE—LOVE
We come now to discuss something that goes to the root of the question as to whether the Christian Way is written within us. The highest thing in the Christian faith is undoubtedly love. Is love the deepest thing in us? Is it written into the necessities of our life? In the deepest necessities? So much so that we can say, “No love, no life”?
Is love the highest thing in the Christian way—its chief value emphasis? It was a great moment in the moral and spiritual history of mankind when a lawyer stood up and asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment in the Law. There were over 3,600 commandments to choose from. Would he pick the wrong one, or a marginal one? If he should choose the wrong one, then the humanity following his emphasis would go wrong with him. But if he chose the right one, humanity would go right with him. The ages held its breath—for it was a breathless moment. The oral and spiritual fate of humanity trembled in the balance. He went unerringly to the highest: “You shall love.” He picked out love as the highest value. And he added to the value of that highest value when he defined the supreme and subordinate objects of that love. He replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. . . . The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31, NEB).
First, love to God. And not an occasional, marginal love, but, as we have noted, a love that includes the total being. Love God with all your heart—the affectional nature; with all your soul—the volitional nature; with all your mind—the intellectual nature; the total person to love God totally. And Mark adds, “with all thy strength”—the strength of the emotion, the strength of the will, the strength of the mind. And the second is: Love other persons as you love yourself. That is the highest of values: Love to God and love to other persons.
O Jesus Lord, we thank you that your divine finger went unerringly to the highest. Nothing higher can be imagined or thought. Here we come to an ultimate in values. We do thank you that you have revealed it. Help us to practice it. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: If the highest value is love, then I shall value that highest value above all values.