(A quick exploration of 1st Corinthians 13)

LOVE
I could have the most beautiful singing voice, or the ability to frame my words with the elegance of the greatest poets, but if I don’t truly care about others I’m just making a bunch of noise. I might as well shout into the abyss. I could have the ability to foretell the future, comprehend rocket science and quantum physics, or even have the ability to perform miracles, but if I don’t care about others, I’m not worth anything. I could be the most generous person, giving away everything that I own, even sacrificing my own body to all kinds of experiments, but if I don’t care about others, it’s not worth anything.

EFFECTS
As we learn to care about each other we become more patient. We grow in kindness. We are overcome less and less by the temptation to want what ‘they’ have and to brag about what ‘we’ have. The lure to feel like you have it figured out or to treat people like worth less then you kinda fades as well. We learn to give others a voice in decision making and push back against our tendency to be such annoying brats. We learn to refuse to hold past wrongs over people’s heads. We don’t get excited when things go badly for others but get excited when the truth comes out. We learn to take the hit, learn to trust, expect beautiful things and continue to push through the darkness.
When we really care about one and other, there’s always more. Rocket science, as we know it, will become old news. Our concepts of quantum physics will go out of date. Even signs of significant power become boring. We always only see a piece of the pie. We can only predict so far. But when your predictions pass their ‘best by’ date, they’re gone with the wind and we have the new.

REALITY
We all know what it’s like being kids. In those days we acted and reasoned like children. But we’re no longer children, it’s time to grow up. We’re grasping for clarity, but the window is just too dirty. We’re grasping to see. Perhaps when we grow up. Maybe we’ll realize that the window isn’t the problem. Maybe we’ll see the truth.

CONCLUSION
Everything comes down to; #1: Our insistence that despite our circumstances we keep moving toward the unknown incoming potential, #2: Our anticipation for something more, and, #3: Us caring for each other. Out of these three things, love is the greatest.