Guided by Love
INTRODUCTION
Imagine for a moment a young boy named Bradley. Now, when Bradley was eight years old, he decided to compose a “bill” which he set on his mother’s place setting one morning before school. This was what it said: “Mother owes Bradley: for running errands, 25 cents; for being good, 10 cents; for taking music lessons, 15 cents; for extras, 5 cents. Total, 55 cents.” When Bradley returned home from school that afternoon, he found an envelope placed on his pillow with 55 cents and a neatly folded note inside which read: “Bradley owes Mother: for nursing him through scarlet fever, nothing; for being good to him, nothing; for clothes, shoes and playthings, nothing; for his playroom, nothing; for his meals, nothing. Total, nothing.”[1]
I know that each one of us, if we were to be honest with ourselves, could identify to some regard with Bradley. Though just a boy, he really does demonstrate the quintessential American mentality. We have all learned, in this capitalistic, make-a-life-for-yourself society that the world owes us something, and we begin to view life through a lens of “what can I get for my services.” Some of us seek to message our own egos, while others seek prominence and recognition. Others of us just want compensation for their deeds—a confidence in knowing that people appreciate us.
But such motivation is not what drives the Christian. The Bible paints a very different picture than the one portrayed in the story of Bradley. Yet it is so easy for those who have been purchased by Christ’s death, who have been adopted into the family of God, who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and gifted for work in the body, to revert back to our carnal motivation. This was exactly what had happened to the church that was in Corinth. Driven by a quest for prominence and pride, the believers in Corinth were abusing the spiritual gifts, and purposefully seeking those gifts which were showy while neglecting those which would give the greatest edification for the body. And so here, Paul sets out in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians to show “the more excellent way”: Love must guide our every action, because of its primacy, because of its character, and because of its permanence.
CONCLUSION
The apostle Paul, in this passage, has given us the highest and loftiest motivation for any action we should take. It is a motivation which stands in contrast to all the logic and wisdom of the world. Whether in the church or in the home, in the office or in the classroom, God has set before us “a more excellent way,” to have love guide us in our every action. Love’s primacy demands it. Love’s character qualifies it. Love’s permanence establishes it.
Now, going back to our story of Bradley, we see two kinds of people depicted in this little episode. One is a child, and his motivations are for himself. But the other is a mother, whose concerns and energies are completely outside of her. While Bradley is guided by selfishness, his mother is guided by love. Now I know some of you may be thinking, “Gee, Nathan, lighten up on the kid. He’s only eight years old!” But, I would remind you of 1 Corinthians 14:20, which says, “Do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.” Sure, Bradley is just a child. However, what does that tell you about Christian’s who act just like him?
The Christian is called to a life unlike the world. It is that dichotomy which stands us in bold relief from the unredeemed. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35). To say that love guides our every action is simply to say that we are Christians.
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[1] Tan, Paul Lee. “3198 Mother Charges Nothing” from Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications, 1996, c1979.