“Love never fails.”  - I Corinthians 13:8a

We profess undying love to our beloved.  Some of us even offer celestial elements as a kind of collateral.  But when harsh times come we easily give up on the people we supposedly love.  Instead of the moon and the stars we throw them our tantrums. 

We also profess love for our neighbors.  But when they throw tirades at us, gossip about us behind our backs, or ignore us, we drop them from our social registry and from our prayer list.  

The Apostle Paul compares love with spiritual gifts the early Christians were tempted to brag or strut about.  He says love is superior because it never fails.   The spectacular gifts of tongue, prophecies, and knowledge, he says, are imperfect gifts for an imperfect world.  They expire when perfection comes.  But love remains.  Why?  Because it is perfect.

When all things fail, cease, and disappear, love never fails, says Paul.  The Message adds a tinge of sweetness and renders it, “Love never dies.”  This truth proves false our secret angst that “nothing so good lasts eternally.”  Love certainly does.  It is so good.  And it is undying, unfailing, lasting forever.  Why?  Because it is who and what God is.  God is love.