Day 153 "Love: The Highest Standard of the Land"

Sometimes, the simplest truth can be the most profound one.

What is it to motivate? The definition of motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something. As a verb, to motivate, means to stimulate (someone's) interest in or cause enthusiasm for doing something. Most motivations are self-serving. But not love. At least, not from God's directives. The thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians has long been known as the love chapter among Christian believers. Ending chapter twelve of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians makes a statement of his intent:

"And now I will show you the most excellent way." 1 Corinthians 12:31

And then he begins into chapter thirteen. He first starts out by saying that without love,

much of the importance of one's life is meaningless. I invite you to read the chapter for yourself and to compare it to all the known standards for living one's life. In the end, when it comes to living our lives from God's perspective, there is no greater way to live one's life than to live it by the light and grace of love.

1 Corinthians Chapter 13

1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 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 do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 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 the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a 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. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love places the emphasis on living our lives for the betterment of others. In the temporary nature of life, what better standard of living can you derive for living your life by?

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"Follow the way of love." 1 Corinthians 14:1

God's ways are different than man's ways. We have a choice!

In his love, see you tomorrow....

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)