Under Law Man Says: Look at how I spoke in tongues
Under Grace Christ Says: Look at how I spoke in love
Without love, I'm nothing. I could die a martyr, but without love I'm nothing. I could give myself over to be burned. I could speak deep, deep revelations. I could have faith that moves mountains. I could lead 2,000 people to Jesus. I could write the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the grace of God. I could speak in tongues.
I do love writing about grace, and God did give me the gift of tongues in my early pentecostal Christian walk, and I believe both of those gifts have been an ongoing blessing. One time I was praying fervently in tongues while I was walking on my treadmill and I did not understand why I was so overwhelmed by it at that particular time. A friend who was pregnant came to mind and I prayed for that little life inside her. "Pray for the baby" is all I remember. I cried, almost in desperation, as I prayed. The next day, she was present at our small group meeting and she said that they had found a problem with the baby... something to do with the heartbeat... and this was at the same time I had been praying (unknown to her). Everything turned out ok. This is a very condensed version of the story... and I want to be very brief because I truly want to highlight that:
Nothing competes with love. Nothing compares to love. Even prayer that works miracles. Faith itself is nothing unless it works through love. And love is a pretty tall order.
And fortunately the One who IS love is living in us. He can and will love in and through us. Love is a fruit of the Spirit.
All this leads me to a song. Imagine that! I love music and I love how thoughts are conveyed through simple lines in songs. This one's from a band called The Elms. It's essentially a song about how love is so much greater than speaking in tongues... or anything else for that matter!
And remember... the key here, at least as I see it, is that this is something we grow in! It's not automatic. Love grows, not as a result of being obedient to commandments, but as a result of abiding in the Vine.
The Elms - Speaking in Tongues (Speak in Love)
The Elms "Speaking in Tongues"
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Got the kind of face everybody knows.
Run around barefoot when it snows.
Growin’ out your hair and you like it long.
Fighting in the road and you know that’s wrong.
People got a thing for the dangerous.
You’ll find it inside the best of us.
Taking what they want like it’s owed to them.
Some of us do the best we can…
Some of us do the best we can!
Brothers! Brothers!
Everybody’s speaking in tongues, we gotta speak in love!
Never met a man ‘said he did not try
Running from the truth time again in life.
You can be the poor one, rich or wise,
Everybody knows ‘bout sacrifice.
Put me in the water, put me in the fire.
Put me in the world and I’ll walk that wire.
Seen the people come and I’ve seen them go.
Talk all day but it’s what they show…
Talk all day but it’s what you show!
