I think anyone who has attended more than one wedding has heard some or all of 1 Corinthians 13 from the bible.  The one that talks all about what Love is and the behaviors it emulates…yet most people can only remember the first few words of verse 4 (Love is patient, love is kind…) and the words of verse 13 (And now these three remain: faith, hope and love…)  There is so much more to 1 Corinthians 13, unfortunately like so many things in life, society has made these words trivial instead of heart felt.  If more people took the time to read and understand all the aspects of love and made it important to try to show these behaviors to others, the world would be a much different place than it is today.  The only thing we can do is to show up and be the change we want to see in the world…and yes, unfortunately those words have become trivial to some as well.  From my perspective we need all of us to show more of verse 5 (It is not rude, it is not self-seeking…) as much as every other part of these words.  I will share all of the verses below.  May you see and show the love of God every day.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.  But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.  When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at the Nakalele Blowhole on the island of Maui)