Journey of Paul
Week 2
Friday, February 9
The Parts
1 Corinthians 13: 8-10
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. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
Are you a “know-it-all?”
Often when we think of how we know something, we reference that we know it, how we know it, and how we know it by or through a particular acquaintance. This is the basic sense of epistemology or the study of knowing. What do we do about the things that we do not know? Are you ok with not knowing everything? I would hope so.
The truth is that we only know in part. This is a pretty interesting part of the love chapter. This is often a part that would get ignored on the wedding day, but this is some of the most powerful and important words about love and relationships. In this life, we will not know everything. If we can be honest with ourselves about that, then the way we live in relationship with one another will reflect this truth. I think about the times when I have officiated a funeral for someone and their long-time spouse is sitting in the front pew. They would have spent a life-time together and would know as much as anyone else in the world would know about that person. In truth, we still only know in part. This is the mystery of love.
Or consider all of what we just don’t know that we don’t know that we don’t know. Whenever you are facing a crisis or something that is unfathomable, would the verses above give you comfort? Love is the thing that never fails. Everything else is going to cease, be stilled, or pass away. Why? Because we are living in a part of reality. The completion is going to come, but it hasn’t arrived yet. But when it does, all that is just the parts will disappear. Our confusion will be made whole by the complete. All of the mystery of the parts, our unanswered questions, our frustration might be painted in a different color and light when the complete comes. What is the complete, the ultimate, the end all be all? It is love.
Be content with your lack of knowledge, it invites you to understand love. You will know one day. It will all make sense one day. But until then, remember that love never fails and will make sense of it all.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your love that never fails. Amen