THE WAY OF LOVE – “TONGUES OF MEN AND CLANGING CYMBAL”

The LORD, speaking about love in His written Word, and through various authors, defines what love truly is. He turns the whole concept of love upside-down, in comparison to the world, and its understanding of love. Let us see what the LORD has to speak to us about Christian love, as written in 1 Corinthians 13:1, through the words of the apostle Paul.
– “​1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1
– “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love [for others growing out of God’s love for me], then I have become only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction].” – 1 Corinthians 13:1 [Amplified Bible Version]

The words that Paul uses, speaks volumes about what God is thinking about the kind of love, that He wants His children, and His disciples to, imbibe and follow. The comparison is very interesting – it is between speaking in tongues of men and angels, and love as defined by God in Luke 19:25-37. The “word of wisdom” and the “word of knowledge” is a gift of the Spirit of God, as found in the previous chapter, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. If one does not have love, as described and defined by the Bible, even though, one possesses the gift of “word of wisdom” and the “word of knowledge” – it is of no worth whatsoever. It is radical and revolutionary even to think on these lines. 

The place and the position of love, in Christian terms is unique and unparalleled. Such is the status of love in the eyes of God. Such is the pre-eminence of love over the other gifts, which the LORD, graciously and generously, bestows upon His chosen people. A point to note, love is not a gift of God, but rather, it has to be patiently cultivated and nurtured by the individual, through faithful obedience to the LORD. There is no other way to gain access to this amazing love.
– “People of little religion are always noisy; he who has not the love of God and man filling his heart is like an empty wagon coming violently down a hill: it makes a great noise, because there is nothing in it.” – Josiah Gregory

Dear friends, our lives, even if we are in possession of great and wonderful gifts given to us by God, but are not soaked in, and practice, the heavenly love, that God demonstrates in Jesus, it is of no worth, whatsoever. Know this for a certainty dear brothers and sisters. Our lives would be nothing but, “…only a noisy gong, or a clanging cymbal [just an annoying distraction].” Utterly worthless life. The LORD would say to us, what He had said to the “Chosen People” a long time ago, through His prophets.
– “Take the noise of your songs away from Me [they are an irritation]! I shall not even listen to the melody of your harps.” – Amos 5:23 – [Amplified Bible]
– “7 But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.” – Matthew 12:7
– “6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honours Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” – Mark 7:6-8
– “42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” – Luke 11:42

May we earnestly seek the LORD, to help us love as He loves, the fallen world, and the evil people. May the LORD open our eyes to see this love, and grant us His grace and mercy, to follow in His footsteps, faithfully and obediently, all the days of our lives. Even so, the LORD help us.