1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NLT
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
What does loving others on God’s terms have to do with setting and attaining our personal goals? … Everything. … People, quote-unquote, win and succeed every day and reach amazing goals, but they harm and hurt people along the way. Is a win actually a win if we have made someone else lose? What good can come of a goal met if someone has been pushed aside in the race?
The one who loves like Christ, as Paul defines in this passage, will win. That person will attain their goals because others have been placed first, people have seen Christ, and God has been loved more than self.
Listen to verses 4-7 again from the Message Bible:
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Let love set your goals. Let love drive your goals. Let love be your goal. After all, that is the true goal Christ came, died, and rose again to allow us to gain and attain.
Let’s agree in prayer: “Lord Jesus, help me to be patient and kind, to not be jealous or boastful or proud or rude, to not demand my own way, to not be irritable, and to keep no record of wrongs, to not rejoice about injustice, but rejoice whenever the truth wins out. May my love for You, in You, and from You, never give up, never lose faith, always stay hopeful, and endure through every circumstance. As above, so below.”