1 Corinthians 13:1 “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.”
We can all remember the squeak that an old garden gate made or the sound of the creak & slam of the derelict screen door on an old house. We often remember these familiar sounds for a long time. Other strong memories may include a kind and helpful teacher or the person who helped us when no one else would.
Today’s verse helps us to see what actions bring divine value to our life. The key here is “love”. This word comes from the Greek “agape”. This is the type of love that is unconditional and unbounded by anything – it is the type of love God shows to us. It is the type of love God wants us to show to each other.
It doesn’t matter how well we speak of others or how passionate our words are towards them. If we don’t unconditionally love them we sound like that squeaking gate every time we open our mouth. Remember we cannot fool God. His ear is listening for the sweet sound of love every time we speak. He doesn’t want to hear the sound of that loveless gate squeaking again.
Challenge yourself this week to allow the Holy Spirit to invest a new deposit of agape love into your life. Open your Bible and get into God’s Word. The Word will help wash away past offenses and hurt that you may carry. It will be like putting oil on that rusty hinge. The new sound that God hears is sure to bring pleasure to His ears.
