4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Let's make our lives count! In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Paul tells us that without love, everything we say or do is without meaning. All loveless effort are empty, no matter how great they might seem.
He said we can speak with the tongues of angels, but if we don’t know how to love, our words are empty. The power of our words is determined by the love our words carry. If you’re having trouble in a relationship, the first question you should ask yourself is, “Am I communicating love? Am I speaking to others in the spirit of love?”
No matter what words you use, if your speech is not backed up by genuine love, your words are empty. If your words are angry, spiteful, or critical, you will continue to have trouble in your home and in all your relationships. Paul says that even if you have the faith to move mountains, but don’t have love, it’s not going to amount to a thing.
You can believe you are a prophet of God, but if you don’t have love, you are nothing. You can say you believe in Jesus, go to church every Sunday, sing in the choir, and give to the building fund, but if you don’t have love, you haven’t accomplished anything. I have a decoration on my desk that says, "Be the person that your dogs think you are." If you can't say amen, at least say ouch!