11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
This is the last post on I Corinthians 13 and the final 3 verses in the chapter.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Children love passionately but not maturely. I like the way that the writer is comparing childish love and stating that now, it must be put away. We all remember things and people that we loved as children but it was a selfish love. We loved our friends who gave us the coolest presents at our birthday parties the best and we loved the parents who would give in a buy the ice cream the best (at least on that day). However, once we are grown, we must “put away childish things”.
The love that we are commanded to show as adults is a very different kind of love. This is the kind of love that is selfless. This is the love that will be acted out in spite of hurt feelings, ill-deserving recipients, and inconvenience. The kind of love that would give its life to people who had willingly left the relationship for a literal taste of the forbidden. Jesus is of course, the ultimate example of mature and selfless love and is the very embodiment of true love.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
I believe that this verse is referring to the future when, through death or the second coming, we finally stand face to face with the Lord. Now, we see through the dark glass of human love and look towards God’s example of real love but when “that which is perfect is come” we will finally see clearly. Now we know in part, through the illustration of family, friendship, and marital love, what the love of God is. Once we get to heaven, we will know Love face to face and know Him even as He knows us.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The final wrap-up of this chapter sums up the entire thought train beautifully. Now, in this life, in this moment, are faith, hope and charity but the very greatest of these is charity. Charity, or love, is superior to faith and hope because it is the very foundational concept behind both of them and will last far beyond the lifespan of either.
My other favorite passage on love is I John 4:7 – 19 so I will close this Valentine’s Day study with that passage as a final thought:
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
