1 Corinthians 13 was the most over-read Scripture at weddings for years and years. What a shock to find out it had nothing to do with weddings.

It does deal with the spiritual arrogance of a group of people who were using manifestation gifts to beat up on other believers.

In the middle of a discussion on manifestation gifts Paul gives the very foundation for how gifts should be used. But that word is one of the most messed up words in our culture today: LOVE.

Our world is generally good at contorting words. So, when a text uses “love” and we superimpose our very weak version of “love” onto it, we really lose sight of some incredible possibilities with the word Paul is giving.

Several years ago in a theology class at Luther Seminary, my professor talked about what it meant to walk in love and speak the truth in love. When you love someone, you want the best for them. As a believer, you want God’s best for them. When we know our freedom in Christ, we will be able to truly speak the truth in love.

This is how it looks: We speak truth into their lives without fear of the response. We speak without manipulation. If I truly love someone, I speak what I truly understand to be the Kingdom’s best for them, yet I yield to the work of the Spirit. Too many times it is tempting to speak into someone’s life to manipulate a response. We know what we want them to say in response and we work hard to get that response.

The other thing we do when we are truly free in Christ we speak the truth in love and we cannot worry about the response. We may want a “positive” response. We may not get it. It’s not our call.

Loving someone is seeking God’s best in their lives. I want to show people God’s best. Not everyone goes for it. I’ve learned to relax over that. It helps me to keep on loving them. The rest is up to the Spirit.

Walking in the love of the Kingdom is something far beyond the lousy definitions of “love” we carry in this world. It is tougher. It is richer. It is worth it.

Walk in love.