The Greatest Is Love

Alba 2-22-2026

THE GREATEST IS LOVE

I Corinthians 13:11-13

When I was growing up, my mother made my clothes. And not only mine but for all five of us children, and for herself and my dad. She made shirts, dresses, pajamas and many other things. She even made some overalls for dad. Some of the material was store-bought. But some of it came from flour sacks. She even learned to make her own patterns. And what she made looked good. Her in-laws accused her of using up all of dad's money to dress her children so well, but in fact, she was being very frugal.

There is a story about a man who volunteered to accompany his wife on a shopping expedition to the fabric store to purchase cloth so she could make clothes for herself and the children. “This is pretty material,” said the husband, indicating a pastel print. The wife fingered it briefly and said, “Too flimsy. It won’t wear well.” “Then how about this?” persisted the man, pointing to another bolt of cloth. “Strong enough,” said the wife, “but will it wash?” The husband in his inexperience was allowing himself to be influenced by eye appeal. The wife was looking for more lasting qualities. She was a wise woman.

We would also be wise to look for lasting qualities in all areas of our lives, especially in the spiritual realm. There are many good things, but only a few of them will last. Only a few will remain when all else is gone.

I Corinthians 13:11-13 tells us what will remain out of all the things we may think are important. Here is what it says, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

The apostle Paul uses the example of being a child who had a different understanding of things once he became a man. Children do have limited knowledge and experience. That is evident in children who are taught to think that they were born in the wrong body. One young girl at age of 16 had a double mastectomy trying to be a boy. Her parents had been told that it was necessary or they would have a dead daughter. But at age 22 the girl regretted the decision realizing it wasn’t the answer, and she had suffered permanent harm. She sued the doctors who were responsible for this “transition”. And just the first of this month the jury awarded $1.6 million for past and future pain and suffering, and an additional $400,000 for future medical expenses. Thankfully there has been a trend away from this false gender ideology.

Hopefully as adults we have learned a few things along the way. The context of I Corinthians is that the Christians were being childish in the way they viewed spiritual gifts. They felt those things were very important, but they were not fully grown in their spiritual walk.

The first verses of First Corinthians thirteen speak of the gifts of tongues, prophecy, faith, generosity, and sacrifice. And not just any kind of tongues, prophecy, faith, generosity and sacrifice, but the ultimate kind. Tongues of men and of angels. Prophecy that fathoms all mysteries and all knowledge. Faith that can move mountains. Generosity that includes every possession. Sacrifice that demonstrates total commitment.

These are normally considered great things. And yet, in comparison to faith, hope and love, these gifts are considered child's play.

Remember back in chapter three Paul spoke to the Christians in Corinth and said about them, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1). He wanted them to grow up spiritually, so as he says at the end of chapter 12, he would show them a “more excellent way”.

And if we are just “babes” in our faith, Peter gives some good advice. In I Peter 2:2-3 he writes, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” What that tells us is that God's Word is food for the soul that gives the nutrients needed for spiritual growth. Without regular feeding on the Word we can become weak. Scripture says that some can become like reeds blowing in the wind, leaning toward whatever direction the wind is blowing. That is not a description of someone with lasting spiritual qualities.