Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NIV
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 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.
My son is beginning a new educational journey to become an elementary school music teacher, and last week, as we talked about his final recital of the year, we joked that in the near future we would be attending recorder concerts for students. We smiled at the thought of the honking and the squeaking that is in our future because of the love we have for our son…and the love we know he already has for music and his future students. But it’s that love that makes all the difference. Otherwise…it might just be noise.
The same is true for the way we act toward others. Love makes all the difference. All the best advice and wisdom, great acts of service and even moments where faith can shine through can become noise. They don’t produce anything good if love isn’t at the center of every word spoken and every gesture of kindness offered. But think of the beautiful sound that is made when love is added to the equation!
When we begin with love, our words and our actions don’t need to be grand to produce something beautiful. Even our imperfect words or our seemingly small and possibly timid acts of kindness don’t honk and squeak into existence – they sing in beautiful harmony!
