The Answer Is Love
February 2, 2025
Psalm 71:1-6 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
A few weeks ago at our Session Retreat, we discussed the Superpowers of life as described by the Jacob brothers in their “Life Is Good” book, one of which is Love. I would argue it is the greatest of the 10 Superpowers they listed as ways in which to feed and grow optimism.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
When we consider Mary, the mother of Jesus, in whom God found favor, surely it was because of her obedience and love of God with her total self, her heart, mind and soul that she was chosen to carry the child of God.
When Gabriel comes to Mary, he doesn’t address her by her given name, but rather “favored one.” Other Bible translations say he greeted her as “full of grace,” which is derived from a Greek translation which means “to pursue with grace or favor.”
In her book, “Whispers of Mary,” Gayle Somers explains that Mary, “full of grace” was considered to be without sin. However, it went further than that, also. Mary was a great student of the Old Testament writings, studying the scriptures which she “pondered in her heart.”
This was her same response after Gabriel brought her the news that she was the one that was chosen to carry the Christ child.
Mary was a role model of the first and greatest commandment. She lived it. She loved her God with all her heart, mind and soul, and she knew that her God loved her, and she trusted in God’s plan.
When I think about the word “Love,” and take each letter of the word to help define it, I would consider the following:
The first letter, “L” brings to mind the idea that we are to listen to God speak to us, and learn what it means. We are to ponder it in our heart and mind and our soul. This could be considered the process of discerning the message. Knowing that we are loved by God, how does the message we receive inspire us to learn more about God’s plan?
The letter “O” reminds us to be obedient in the same way that Mary was obedient in carrying out God’s plan. This is not always an easy task, obviously, and requires our faith that God loves us and is with us to carry out the plan he has given us.
The letter “V” reminds us that God’s word is validated in and through us. When we take God’s word to heart, when we ponder it, discern it, and trust its direction, God’s work is validated in and through our actions as God leads us into his will.
“E” reminds us that love evolves. God’s work in and through us is a journey that evolves throughout our lives, and even beyond.
For instance, when someone is eulogized, their life can live on in others. The seeds of love that are planted by God do not end in death, rather they live on in others whose lives have been touched by those who have claimed their victory over death before us.
So to recap, “Love” means we listen and learn; we are obedient to God; God’s word and will are validated through us by our actions; and God’s love evolves through us to others.
I would say that Love is definitely a Superpower for our lives!
Paul, however, cautions us on exactly how we are called to love. In the first part of our scripture from Corinthians today, Paul is warning that actions without the love of God are just empty actions.
Making noise and showy actions are empty if they are not blessed or directed by the love of God.
If we are working ourselves to exhaustion, and have not pondered what God has called us to do, then we have to wonder are we being a noisy gong or clanging cymbal without having the favor of God?
Considering what Paul is saying here is very important, and I would also caution that God is the only one that knows the true intentions of one’s heart, and it is not our place to judge what is in another’s heart.
God has created people from all walks of life, and if you have read much in the Bible, it is clear that God works through people who may not be who we might consider “full of grace,” to carry out his purposes.
Paul reminds us of the qualities of love, and these traits can definitely be found in our God.
Love is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not arrogant, and not rude, does not insist on its own way, not irritable, not resentful, does not rejoice in wrongdoing, and rejoices in the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends.
While other things may end, God’s love does not end because God is love.
Paul talks about moving from childish ways into adulthood. This may be one of our toughest tasks as humans because it requires responsibility and commitment that we change to be able to give ourselves fully and completely as the image of God.
Jesus was raised by his parents to follow in their footsteps of studying God’s word, studying the scriptures. When they went on their pilgrimage for Passover and realize Jesus is not with them on their return journey, they become frantic as any parents would be when they lose a child.
Jesus, however, is perfectly content reading scriptures in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
“And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”
Jesus is in this moment, I believe, moving from his childish ways into adulthood. Of course, his parents are frantic when they couldn’t find him but Jesus was coming “into his own, and replies to them in those famous lines, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” He had to be where God was calling him to be into action.
Although Jesus returns with his parents and are obedient to them, we are told that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.” In other words, he continued to develop as an adult being filled by the love and direction of God.
Somers defines this story in her book, “not as a failed love to his parents, but rather an obedient love to his ABBA Father, his Father God.”
So when we put away childish ways, we begin to separate from our parents’ ways and lean into our own understanding of God’s love for us and hopefully we respond in obedience to God’s will for our lives.
Living in the image of God is a difficult task as we are called upon to put away our childish ways, and lean into a perfect love; a love that is unconditional and not overbearing. Sometimes it’s hard to get our humanness, our childish ways, out of the way.
When we speak, we are to speak words God has provided to us. Sometimes we want to force our beliefs on others because surely we know that our way is the right way. However, if we would listen before we speak, we might realize that others may see things differently, and they are also children of God. They are also loved by God.
Can two people have different beliefs and both be right? I think anything with God is possible. I believe we would serve God well by asking questions rather than trying to force our ideas on others.
I look around this room, and there is not one person here that I do not love, that I would not help, that I would not show kindness, regardless of their beliefs, even when they are different than mine. I know that I certainly do not have all the right answers. However, I do have the love of God.
Maybe before we speak, we could ponder in our hearts, in our minds, and in our souls, and ask, “What would God have me say in this moment?” “Do I need to say anything, or just listen?” “Am I showing love in what I am saying?” And more importantly, “Am I showing God’s love in his image in what I am speaking?”
If we are making a statement because we are trying to get a reaction from someone, or because we thing we know the best narrative, maybe we might need to ponder and discern to make sure it is what God is asking us to speak through his love for us and with those we are speaking.
Truly the beautiful thing we can trust about God when we have questions, is that the answer is love. God is love. Are we sharing God’s love with others? Or are we sharing our opinions and judgments with others?