1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Think About It

When it comes to the subject of love, there are myriad verses we could look at. The verses above display love from nearly every angle via examples, descriptions, instructions and promises. We see some familiar and some maybe less familiar passages.

In Genesis 3, we see the fallen world’s first exposure to divine love, as well as a practical example of God’s love. In Psalm 6, we see one of the most common adjectives used to describe God’s love throughout the psalms: “unfailing” (NIV).

In John 3:16, we see the most famous (for good reason) declaration of love, and you can’t get more comprehensive than 1 Corinthians 16:14 or more boiled down than 1 John 4:8.

Apply It

Without love, each one of ministry’s important functions runs the risk of morphing into its worst possible caricature. Evangelism can turn people into projects. Worship is reduced to a cue-driven production. Outreach and missions become exercises in self-gratification.

Discipleship and teaching can become boring at best—prideful at worst—unless love drives everything. So why not give it a try? Let love define your ministry agenda, plan your calendar, determine mission projects, and shape your evangelism and discipleship efforts. Or, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16, “Do everything in love.”

Love: what “this thing” is all about.