Make Love Your Aim
The 1st century Church in Corinth was an interesting Church. They were "enriched in every way - with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge" such that when Paul wrote to them, he said, "you do not lack any spiritual gift" (1 Corinthians 1:5-7). That's a big compliment for a church to get, and from Paul. Yet, they were far from perfect. They were divided over leaders. Some say "I follow Paul", others "I follow Apollos", and others "I follow Cephas" and still others "I follow Christ". It was a church confused about the Lordship of Jesus over all, to the extent that Paul said, "I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly - mere infants in Christ". (1 Corinthians 3:1). There were a lot more bad things going on in this church than we have time to go through right now, but you can see the mixed picture - having all spiritual gifts, yet not living by the Spirit. That's a big problem!
You can understand why Paul wrote towards the end of his first letter to the Church saying, "make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1, RSV). Paul encouraged them to earnestly desire more of the spiritual gifts they already have, with a particular focus on prophecy. He then spent a bit of time explaining how the prophetic gift would serve them well in orderly corporate worship. But I don't want us to miss the start of his exultation in chapter 14, "make love your aim", which means, in your pursuit of spiritual gifts, let love be your primary motivation and the way in which you exercise these gifts.
I think this injunction is so needed to all churches today. We all must make love our aim. I like the way NLT puts that verse "Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the abilities the Spirit gives - especially the ability to prophesy". Let love be your highest goal! Anything we do for God, in the church or wider community should be motivated by love. There are many things that motivate people to do things. Sometimes it's a sense of duty, at other times they might feel obligated. Some motivations are good and positive and others are bad and negative. Paul however notes that the most excellent motivation is love, hence "make love you aim".
In what is often referred to as the love chapter, Paul explained why love should be the pursuit of the Corinthian church. They had spiritual gifts, but lacked love. They could speak in tongues, they could prophesy and they had faith, but love was lacking. The result was division, immorality and lawsuits among themselves. When we walk in love and are rich in love, we will be patient, we will be kind. There is no envy in love, no boasting, no pride. When love becomes our aim, we will love people who others find hard to love. When we make love our aim, we will be less judgemental and more compassionate. Love makes allowances for mistakes, love is not easily frustrated or angered. Love does not keep a long list of offences that demonises people and ruin relationships.
Love is beautiful. In a community where people make love their aim, there is genuine love and affection for everyone. People care for one another, help one another and bear with one another. No one claims to be perfect or better than the other person, everyone is quick to forgive and ask for forgiveness. People are less likely to take offence, so offences are few and far between. In a community where everyone puts themselves on a pedestal, the key word is "performance" and the expectation is - don't do anything that will make you ask for forgiveness. Whereas in a community where people make love their goal, people hardly take offence, and when they do, before they get the chance to complain, the other party is sorry for what they have done, and more quickly than offence was taken, forgiveness is offered.
As we build a community of love, let us all make love our aim. When you want to have that difficult conversation, make love your aim, then you can be assured of a peaceful outcome and resolution. When you want to tell someone off, make love your aim, then they will see your love for them and be minded not to repeat the behaviour in the future. When your spouse offends you and you want to point it out, make love your aim, then they will love you more for it. When you want to bring that constructive criticism, make love your aim, then people will see the issue instead of making it personal. In that heated conversation, when you are about to say something hurtful, pause, breathe and settle it in your mind that at all times, in every circumstance, you will make always love your aim.