The Way Of Love

By Dan Hall

The Spirit’s gifts we should pursue
His greater gifts display
By means we don’t come quickly to
But a more exc’llent way

For lack of love all tongues amount
To a chaotic din
To give all, even life poured out
Without love is no win

Prophetic powers might dwell in me
A knowledge pouring spring
Or mountain moving faith maybe
But loveless I’m nothing

The Spirit’s gifts are meant for gain
But love’s way is unique
As Christ’s body we all must strain
To strengthen what is weak

The way of love is patient first
With kindness that is true
Love does not envy nor self-boast
Is not prideful or rude

Insisting that it gets its way
Is not how love proceeds
It’s not provoked by petty fray
Won’t track other’s misdeeds

Love won’t rejoice with wrongdoing
With truth its joy ascends
Love bears, believes and hopes all things
Endures and never ends

If gazing at love’s true picture
Makes it completely clear
Your love’s a warped caricature
That’s struggling to adhere

Then look, your head, the son of love
Who loved with ev’ry deed
Assumed your place and drank wrath’s cup
From judgement you’ve been freed

So stand in him, pursuing love
Mature in how you think 
Strive to excel in building up
For of one Spir’t we drink

[1 Cor 12:31-13:8]

(Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash)