Monday, February 14, 2011

A Standard of Love



No, this is not a valentine message. For this message is something that we ought to remind ourselves of EVERYDAY. I had meant not to post anything tantamount to a celebration of the day of hearts; no reason really, just... what for? Hehehe. And then I remembered these words from the bible, words that always strike me whenever I read it.

Always, my reflection on these words is that they really provide us a great standard of love. It is a high standard, I must say. I know that if I am to be measured against this standard, then I will fail.

But everyday, I try.


1 Corinthians 13:4

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Book Recommendations:
Love in the Time of Cholera (Vintage International)
The Prophet

2 comments:

  1. This standard seems difficult as a daily standard. Maybe economists can advise us that it's actually compliance/performance measured "over time". On the one hand... on the other hand... however... - well, that's likely what a stereotypical economist will explain it to us. But for sure, if you allow him/her to explain this in terms of marginal utility - or, supply and demand - you would have a less tentative answer ;)

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  2. It's hard enough talking about love, my friend. And now you speak of economics? Another equally confounding topic. :)

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