Monday, May 9 – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good.

Have you ever left out an important ingredient as you made a special recipe? It is amazing how one small ingredient can make such a huge impact. Maybe you forgot the binding element that keeps your cake from crumbling, or maybe you forgot the yeast that makes your bread rise. These often-small, simple ingredients make a big difference in the dishes you make. You can include all the other ingredients, but if you are missing one of the building-block, essential ingredients, your recipe will never come out like it should.

As we reflect on Mother’s Day, it is easy to wonder in parenthood if you are including all the right ingredients to raise your child. You want to teach them, love them, and show them the way to go in life. All these ingredients can be hard to keep track of and it’s impossible to master all of them. This is what makes Paul’s words to the Corinthian church so timely. After explaining all the spiritual gifts, Paul reminded the church what the foundation was underneath it all. Love—agape love—undergirds all gifts and skill because it is a special love from God, marked by sacrifice and without blemish. When we are rooted in Christ, supported, and growing in His love, we have all the most important ingredients. We don’t have to constantly look over our shoulder or be overwhelmed with “parent guilt.” Through the redeeming power of His love, we can walk through our parenting and lives with the confidence that He is leading us and bringing all the other pieces together.

• How have you been changed by God’s love?
• Would your life look different if you did not have God’s love? Why or why not?
• Pray and thank God for giving us His love as the foundation in all that we do. Ask Him to help you as you walk in His love.