想像一下，你想用一个特别的聚会来打动一个朋友。你把所有的精力和注意力都放在把细节做得恰到好处上。但你在这个过程中压力太大，以至于忽略了你的朋友。你的朋友可能会说：“我不想要一个花哨的派对；我只想和你在一起！”在你努力装扮美好事物时，到最后却错过了重点。你的朋友不需要大张旗鼓的场面和花很多钱；他/她想要的美只是你个人的时间和关注。
哥林多城的一些基督徒有说方言和说预言的特殊恩赐。他们认为这些恩赐很了不起，而且整个社区都倾向于关注这种信仰的展示。但结果是，他们最终错过了基督徒社区的重点，即彼此相爱。使徒保罗给他们写了一封信（《哥林多前书》），鼓励他们回到最基本的点上。在第13章中，他描述了舍己的那种爱（agape），这种爱遵循了耶稣本人的模式。
耶稣已经向我们展示了最美丽的道，那就是爱。效法祂的榜样，可以使我们放下想要引人注目的焦虑。相反，我们可以专注于真正美好的事物——那就是舍己的爱。
神啊，有时我们会分心，忘记了最美好的事物。请让我们再次恢复美丽，使我们拥有你在耶稣里的爱。阿们。
哥林多前书 13章
1我若能说万人的方言，并天使的话语，却没有爱，我就成了鸣的锣、响的钹一般。
2我若有先知讲道之能，也明白各样的奥秘、各样的知识，而且有全备的信叫我能够移山，却没有爱，我就算不得什么。
3我若将所有的赒济穷人，又舍己身叫人焚烧，却没有爱，仍然于我无益。
4爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈，爱是不嫉妒，爱是不自夸，不张狂，
5不做害羞的事，不求自己的益处，不轻易发怒，不计算人的恶，
6不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理；
7凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。
8爱是永不止息。先知讲道之能终必归于无有，说方言之能终必停止，知识也终必归于无有。
9我们现在所知道的有限，先知所讲的也有限；
10等那完全的来到，这有限的必归于无有了。
11我做孩子的时候，话语像孩子，心思像孩子，意念像孩子；既成了人，就把孩子的事丢弃了。
12我们如今仿佛对着镜子观看，模糊不清，到那时就要面对面了。我如今所知道的有限，到那时就全知道，如同主知道我一样。
13如今常存的有信、有望、有爱这三样，其中最大的是爱。
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." - 1 Corinthians 13:1
Imagine that you want to impress a friend with a special party. You put all your energy and attention into getting the details just right. But you get so stressed out in the process that you ignore your friend. Your friend might say, "I don't want a fancy party; I just want to spend time with you!" In your efforts to make something beautiful, you end up missing the point. Your friend doesn't require a lot of fanfare and expense; your friend just wants the beauty of your personal time and attention.
Some of the Christians in the city of Corinth had the special gifts of speaking in tongues and prophesying. They thought these gifts were impressive, and the whole community tended to focus on these displays of faith. As a result, though, they ended up missing the point of Christian community, which is to love one another. The apostle Paul wrote them a letter (1 Corinthians) to encourage them to get back to the basics. And in chapter 13 he describes the self-sacrificial kind of love (agape) that follows the pattern of Jesus himself.
Jesus has shown us the most beautiful way, the way of love. Following his example, we can let go of worrying about being impressive. Instead, we can focus on what's truly beautiful—and that is self-sacrificial love.
God, sometimes we get distracted and forget about the most beautiful thing of all. Restore us again to the beauty of your love in Jesus. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
