1 Corinthians 13 Isn’t Just for Weddings

I recently heard Craig Gross say that Jesus Loves You is the most important book that he has written since The Gutter. Having read both I can understand why he would make that statement. Typically book reviews and author interviews appear as regular blog posts. Just a little something to break up the monotony of my ramblings and to offer my opinions on some great reads. Jesus Loves You is different. The message is so important that I’ve decided to dedicate a week’s worth of posts to celebrate this amazing book and promote its all important, yet wildly misconstrued message: Jesus loves. And so should we.

Before I get into what this week will look like, I want to share a thought that I had this while I was planning this series of posts. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus says that “Love your neighbor as yourself” is second in importance to loving God with all of your heart (Matthew 22:37-29). Obviously, it is a pretty important commandment. Yet I wonder if we really are loving our neighbors, or at the very least I wonder if we are loving them in the way that Jesus commanded. I know a lot of people who are serving their neighbors. I only know of a few who are honestly loving their neighbors. That is, ALL of their neighbors. Not just the ones on their street, but all people – even the ones who are nothing like them.

So, what does truly loving your neighbor mean? The bible explicitly spells out how to love your neighbor. Unfortunately, l fear that we’ve limited the “love people” section of the bible to a few poetic verses that are read at weddings. 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t just for weddings or for couples. It’s a description of how we are commanded to love each other. Not just though words or service (v.1-3) but through a perfect demonstration of the type of love that Jesus shows us. The next time you encounter your neighbor, even the ones who are unlike you (think of your neighbors who are a different race, sexual orientation, religion, social status, etc) ask yourself a few questions. Am I being patient, kind, truthful, protective, trustworthy, hopeful, and perseverant? Am I sure that I am not being envious, boastful, prideful, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, or bitter? (v. 4-7) Am I truly loving my neighbor?

I’ll be honest with you, sometimes I worry that using popular terms like missional or post-modern muddles the message. I don’t ever want the “love your neighbor” message to be seen as a Christian fad. Fads come and go. They fade over time (just ask the Jesus People). But the message of loving others, the second most important of all the commandments, is for all of us and for all time. Each day this week I will introduce you to some people who are living out this commandment. They are showing people that Jesus loves them by demonstrating His kind of love, 1 Corinthians 13 love, in spite of their differences. I hope you join me all week as we learn from these people, people like Craig Gross, and become inspired to tell someone, anyone that Jesus loves them, this we know.

Check back tomorrow for a review of Craig Gross and Jason Harper’s new book Jesus Loves You This I Know. You’ll even get an opportunity to win a copy of your own!

Have a comment on loving your neighbor? I’d love to hear it!