A Word Manifested

I Corinthians 13 has often been called the "Love Chapter."  There is certainly a good reason.  The language is like a beautiful, eloquent poem.  It describes something which is grossly misinterpreted and misunderstood by so many in our culture.  Love is made as people have sex.  Never mind that such equates to a primitive physical act, it is dragged on stage and clothed in language which does not fit.  In other circles love is something offered to every one.  Certainly, the words of Jesus call us to love everyone, but the way it is used in so many situations dilutes it to something not too different than being made to feel good.   

The Apostle Paul's words about love are beautifully written and take us into a realm of personal experience that illuminates the essence of what it means to love.  Someone said recently that "love is just a word until it is manifested."  Is that not what God has done for us through Jesus?  Into Bethlehem He came.  Into the hearts of Mary and Joseph He came.  Onto the rough roads and into the difficult places of life He came.  To a cross He came to die.  Along the way He spoke the word of love.  Along the way He fleshed out what that word meant. When the disciples did not understand, His patient spirit gave them room to grow.  When others appeared as teachers, He did not seek to deny them their voice.  When people walked away from Him, He did not chase and browbeat them into understanding.  When He walked those final steps filled with blood and pain, He did not stop reaching out to care for those like His mother and the dying thief.    

Jesus did talk the language of love, but more important for us, he manifested love in our presence.  He showed love not by talking about it, but by being it.  We cannot see Him as did those disciples who walked the road with Him, but we see Him revealed in the Word which tells us all we need to know about this Savior of love who was sent by God.  We see Him as the Holy Spirit reveals Him in our inner being. His love for us was and is so great that He did not count His own life too great a thing to let go in order to give love to us.  "By this we know love, that He gave His life for us."  (I John 3:16)   Love is just a word until it is manifested.  Such speaks of the One known to us as the Word became flesh.  (John 1:14)