Oh St. Paul, you are so demanding. You mean angelic tongues does not necessarily mean the person has love. Well, yes, there are many people who can talk eloquently of love and beauty but would turn out to be mean and capable of doing so many bad things against others. So, we are reminded to walk the talk. Ok, love is more than great rhetorics, pep talk, and inspiring speeches. LOVE is MORE.
If I have the gift of prophecy,
Hold on, St Paul, I hear so many people say, "how blessed they are," and it would seem like they are highly favored by God. And, wow, even special gifts like prophecy may not be a manifestation of loving. Oh yes, being blessed may not necessarily make one a blessing for others. Some people may be so gifted but they can use their gifts for evil. LOVE is MORE than the gifts.
and know all mysteries and all knowledge;
St. Paul, you say knowledge isn't enough, too. So reason and intellect may not bring forth love. I can accept that, too. Children can be most loving though unreasonable and the uneducated can possess much goodness. So the saying, to know you is to love you, is but a partial manifestation of love. Knowledge like the gifts and the angelic speech may be used for the detriment of others. LOVE is MORE.
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
Now, this is getting harder, St. Paul, you are saying faith is not enough. Luther insisted on faith alone. Alright, he just added the word "alone". But isn't believing the beginning of living. Well, alright, majority of the people of this pilgrim world are believers and yet there are wars, killings, and slander. Oh, St Paul, one can have such strong faith and still be nothing. This is hard, love is more than faith. LOVE is MORE.
And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor,
Actions like giving and feeding do not necessarily equate to love? Well, corrupt politicians can be quite giving yet stealing. But how about feeding, Jesus had taught us to feed the hungry. Still, it is not the be all and end all of love. Denouncing materialism to the point of giving up possessions and coupled with good intentions and still not love. LOVE is MORE. It is more than the actions and intentions.
and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NASB)
St. Paul, giving up something may still have an absence of love? Even giving up one's life to be burned? Some do give up their families for another person and some give up their faith for fame. Okay, not all giving up may not make love. LOVE is MORE.
Good words, good actions, good thoughts and intentions, good talents and power, good knowledge, good belief, and good actions may not by itself equate to goodness or love. Love is more than each one of these.
Then, you went on with specific things, St. Paul. You began with patience. Yes, patience can be manifested in words, actions, surrender, thought, reason, faith, and intentions. And so are the other virtues.
So, love is integrity - a wholeness of the person that bears and rejoices in truth in all that who we are. Love isn't duplicity or worst multiple personality. It is faithfulness to God who is Truth whether we are alone or with people. Whether we are at work or on vacation, in the dining room or in the bedroom. Truth in thoughts, words, and action.
In spite of, love being universally sought; It takes a lifetime to learn the ways of love. It takes a lot of grace and work to be a loving person.
Ok, St Paul, love is free but LOVE isn't CHEAP.
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