Love
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
Within the fruit of the Spirit described by Paul in Galatians chapter 5, love stands first for a reason. Every other fruit flows from it. When Paul speaks of love in Galatians 5, he is describing more than affection or emotion. This is self-giving, sacrificial, covenant-shaped love. It is the steady decision to seek another’s good, even at personal cost.
Romans 5:8 reminds us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God did not wait for our improvement. He moved toward us in our need. The Spirit now works to grow that same kind of initiating love in us.
Love often reveals itself in very ordinary places. It shows up in patience with a child, grace with a spouse, compassion for someone who cannot repay us. Love costs time, comfort, preference, and control. That is why it always requires God’s power.
Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13 that giftedness without love accomplishes nothing of lasting value. Activity can impress. Love transforms. The Spirit does not merely help us feel more love. He teaches us how to live it.
In a world that often defines love through emotion, Scripture defines love through action. The Spirit grows in us a love that looks like Jesus.
Love is not proven by feelings but by faithful, Christlike action.
Shawn Thornton’s “All But Normal” Childhood and Path to Ministry (Part 2)
Raised with disability in his immediate family, Shawn has a unique perspective on how the church should care for people who live with disability. Hear how God has used his personal experience to grow him as a pastor and prepare him to reach the global church through his role with Joni and Friends.
