1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

— ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭7‬‬

Most questions about this chapter regard the preceding verses or the following verses. What’s important to note about these verses is that they (obviously) have paragraphs and CHAPTERS that precede and follow. Though I won’t disparage the reading of them for personal use or at special occasions too much, they gain so much more meaning when read within ch 12-14. 

Corinthians arguing over spiritual gifts and who has the best ones. Paul says, “All are members of one body.” I’ve heard it said that spiritual gifts are not given to me, but given to the church through me. (And no, these lists of gifts are not exhaustive, but that’s for another time).

Paul closes 12 with saying the highest gift is love. Then he explains what that looks like, because the Corinthians are the most selfish, proud, and divided group of people we find in the NT. Without a proper understanding of love and unity, none of their other issues discussed in the letter would find resolution. No other spiritual gifts would matter. And then ch 14 discusses order in the church community, whether sign gifts or a group of women who were disrupting (and obviously very debated how applicable that is for today).

“Love does not rejoice at injustice but the truth.” Sometimes today, “truth” people and “justice” people disagree on what each of those terms mean and how to accomplish the latter. “Truth” people are accused of not caring about justice because they’re so focused on being right. 

I don’t have any monumental solutions. But revisiting the heart of love for neighbor may be a place to start. Issues are not as crystal clear as we may think, causing us to listen to people, ask how we can serve and show the love of Christ, and sacrifice our own ambitions.