Love Does Not Boast
The title of this article is taken from the fourth verse of the chapter of I Corinthians, and we are continuing the study of statements made about love.
The Greek word that is translated "boast" is perpereuomai, which means, I boast or I vaunt myself. The root from which it is taken from describes a braggart or vainglorious person: a person who has excessive elation or pride over his or her own achievements1. The focus of such a person would be inward, rather than outward. Love, on the other hand, is by definition outwardly focused.
When we carry out acts of kindness for another person, these acts may be motivated by love, but they may also be motivated by a desire to gain recognition. If we find ourselves frustrated by a failure on someone's part to thank us for something that we have done, our frustration may be a sign that our motives weren't entirely based on love for the other person. In such a situation, it is very tempting to point out our deeds and the "love" that motivated them.
This is not to say that we can never speak to another person about what we have done for them. The problem comes when we are vainglorious, and the self-satisfaction we have is out of proportion to what we have done. Let's remember that when we love, we are doing so in obedience to the commands of God, and because of this, it is God that will recognize our obedience, and reward us as He sees fit, and in the time that He sees fit.
As this study continues, I've been repeating the statement that these qualities of love aren't qualities that love tries to exhibit. As with the other points that have been covered, love does not boast. If we recognize that our words or actions are designed to elicit a compliment or praise from someone, it should be seen as evidence that these words or actions have not been motivated by love. Boastfulness shows up in the heart before it is seen outwardly. If we search our hearts with God's help on a regular basis, He will make us aware of any such boastfulness. In the times that these things occur, let us remember that boastfulness is a symptom of a more fundamental problem, namely that we are lacking a facet of love.
Our hearts are the source of our thoughts, words and actions, so none of these things will show love if the love is not in our hearts. On the other hand, we can do right things simply because we know them to be right, while asking at the same time that God will change our hearts.
May the Source of love fill our hearts with love that spills out onto those around us. When this happens, it will be clear to us and to them that the love they receive is actually the love of God expressed through us. It will match His in every quality, and it will be limitless. As a result, we will love without feeling like we have been sucked dry. Instead, we will be sharers of live.
Next week we look at the phrase, "Love is not puffed up". Until then, I pray for the work of God in my own heart, and in the hearts of any who read these words. May God bless you.
1HelpsTM Word-studies copyright © 1987, 2011 by Helps Ministries, Inc.
Love Doesn’t Boil
The verse has been quoted a couple of times now, and you are probably quite sure that isn't what it says. For those who are joining us now, here's the verse again:
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. —I Corinthians 13:4, NASV
The last two articles have looked at the fact that love is patient and kind, and we dug under the surface a little to find more meaning, significance and application. Often, one of the first things that I do in a scripture study is to look at the words in the original language. The version quoted above says that love is not jealous, and others say that it does not envy. The word translated as jealous or envious is the Greek word zéloó, which is an onomatopoeia that imitates the sound of boiling water. In a literal sense, it means to bubble over. In a figurative sense, it signifies burning with zeal. In scripture, the word is used in both a positive and negative sense. Revelation 3:19 says to "...be zealous and repent." The word translated "zealous" is a form of the same word, as is the word translated "earnestly desire", in 1 Corinthians 14:1, where it says to "...earnestly desire spiritual gifts." Another passage translates the word as "covet".
Boiling water boils because of the heat applied, and when it boils, it is stirred up with turbulence. The picture I see here with regard to envy, is a stirring up of our spirit, something that burns within, and causes turbulent emotion. Thinking further, I have the picture of a pressure cooker, where this bubbling is suppressed and contained. If there is no safety valve for this, it can lead to an explosion.
Love prevents this. It is not a matter of wrapping up our feelings of jealousy, it is a matter of not burning and boiling in the first place. It was mentioned in the articles about love being patient and kind that a lack of patience or kindness is a symptom of a lack of love. The same is true here. Scripture doesn't say that love tries not to be envious, it is not envious.
Here is an example from personal experience: I lived for several years in a mobile home that was feeling its age. There were leaks in the roof and holes rotting in the floors. Our growing family was finding it cramped. We were praying for God to provide us with something that would be suitable for our needs. I will admit that there were times when I would see what someone else had, and feel at least a twinge of jealousy.
It came about, however, that our family had the opportunity to do some cleaning in a house that a friend had just had built, in preparation for their moving in. The home was beautiful, and part of me started to think about my home, and the fact that it wasn't as nice. I am glad to say that this didn't last long, as I began to see the new house from my friend's perspective, and found myself rejoicing for my friend and his family. Looking back, I realize that my happiness sprang from the fact that I truly loved them.
In our own families, love will rejoice in one another's good fortune. Without love, jealousy and envy are likely. The Bible mentions several examples where this was the case. These include Cain, who was jealous of the approval that God had of Abel's sacrifice. Rachel was jealous of her sister Leah, because Leah had children and Rachel had none. Joseph's brothers were jealous because of the fact that their father bestowed greater affection on him than on the rest. In each of these examples, the jealous person was engaging in a kind of competition, rather than rejoicing appropriately.
Let us look at jealousy as a symptom of a more basic problem. If we aren't rejoicing at the good fortune and blessings that others receive, let us ask God to put love in our hearts. When He does, we will rejoice. To ask, we must have a desire for love. It is God who commands us to love, He is the one who gives us the desire to obey, and it is God who gives us the ability to obey.
Come join us next week as we take a look at the next few words of 1 Corinthians 13:4, where it says, "Love does not brag".
Love is Kind
I'm continuing with the study of the fourth verse of I Corinthians 13, which states:
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. —I Corinthians 13:4, NASV
Each of the traits of love given here deserves its own attention. We have looked at the patience of love: now we turn our attention to the kindness of love.
It is useful to consider the supreme example of love when we undertake any study of the subject. Scripture states elsewhere that God is love, and says here that love is kind. It is clear that we can see the quality of kindness in God's expression of His love for us. This is most evident in the sacrifice that He provided for our sins, where He showed kindness in taking our punishment upon Himself.
A friend of mine put it well, I think:
When we grow in love, our thoughts are kind. Our judgement of others is tempered by our love. Our thoughts, our plans, our reactions become kind because we love. This, I think, is the result of being loved. The better we know that we are dust, the greater we see God's love for us, the less we feel like being unkind.
This acknowledges the fact that the love in our hearts isn't put there by God in a way that is fully formed. We grow in love, and as we grow, the traits of love become more and more evident.
My first thought regarding kindness was that it means "not unkind". This certainly is true. If we are kind, there are words that will be left unsaid, and thoughts that won't be entertained, because they are not kind. To leave it there, however, is to omit a large part of what kindness is, and what love is. As followers of Christ, our lives are not defined by things that we shouldn't do, but by a broad range of things that we are able to do through Christ who strengthens us.
Here is a look at the Greek word for kind, as used by Paul in this verse. The word is chrēsteuetai, and is actually a verb which means, "it is kind". This word in turn is based on the Greek word, chréstos, an adjective that is defined as useful, gentle, pleasant, or kind. One who is kind, then, is someone who is taking action to provide something that is useful.
In a practical sense, a person who is kind will see the need of another, and fill that need. A common name for slaves in the Graeco-Roman world was Xrestus, which was alternately spelled Xristos or Christus1, and this name was based on this same word for kind or useful. This ties in with the idea of being a servant to the one that we love. We may need to sacrifice our own comfort on behalf of someone else in order to provide kindness, but if the kindness springs from a heart of love, then it will not be bestowed grudgingly.
As is the case with patience, it isn't a matter of love trying to be kind. Love is kind. If we find ourselves lacking a kindly disposition towards another, the first place to go to correct the problem is to the One who can fill our hearts with love. When that is done, our kindness will not be fake.
In all of this, let us remember the fact that every attribute and quality of love has been clearly demonstrated to us by our heavenly Example, and we have been commanded to love others as He loved us. Let us obey this command. Not out of a sense of duty or obligation, but because of our overflowing love for Jesus Christ.
1F. F. Bruce, The Books of Acts, 368
Love is Patient
In the first three verses of I Corinthians 13, Paul makes some points about the importance of love, as compared to the importance of other things. There is a lot packed in those three verses, and up to this point I have attempted to whet the reader's appetite for deeper study. In spite of the work that is invested in my words, they are not the words of Scripture, so feel free to stop reading here, and study God's word until you recognize the greatness of the greatest commandment, namely that we love God and love one another.
Verses one through three of this chapter make a case regarding the importance of love. The verses that follow deal with a brief description of love, and how it behaves. I would like to restate the fact that the treasure to be found will be found in God's Word. One can find the first layer of treasure through a cursory reading of what is written. Let the words I write serve as if I had turned over a shovelful of earth, and revealed the beginning of a vein of gold. As I write, and say, "Look what I found!", don't get distracted by the shovelful I came up with, even if it does contain value. Instead, grab your own shovel, and do your own digging.
And now, let's look at verse 4 of I Corinthians 13:
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. — I Corinthians 13:4, NASV
And in the Bible in Basic English:
Love is never tired of waiting; love is kind; love has no envy; love has no high opinion of itself, love has no pride. – I Corinthians 13:4, BBE
Let's begin with the first concept, which states that love is patient, or never tired of waiting. Another translation uses the term "long-suffering" to describe this trait. I will honestly admit that this is staggering to me when I take the time to think about what it really means. I have been writing about the importance of love in all relationships in general, but the specific relationship between husband and wife has never been far from my mind as I write.
I have stated my motivation: that of challenging husbands and fathers to learn what it means to love, and to demonstrate that love in imitation of Christ. This is not because I think I have arrived at my destination in this respect, but because I am whole-heartedly on the journey, and want to invite others to join me. Because of this, I am willing to say that patience is a battle for me, and that there are times when I fail to demonstrate it. This reflects on me, not on my wife or my children. The fact that patience is first in Paul's description of the behavior of love suggests that he was fully aware that anyone engaged in building a relationship of love with another human being was going to have the opportunity to exercise patience.
My first thought with regard to patience was that it was the ability to graciously wait for something. It does include this, certainly, but it also has the connotation of endurance (long-suffering), when circumstances are challenging for one reason or other. I raised this question with some of my friends and family: In practical terms, what does it mean, when we say, "Love is patient"?
One friend said this: "Love raises its voice sweetly when the spouse can't hear the first time -- and second time..." To me, this is an example of how a person can show grace with regard to another's humanity. This friend refers to her husband's hearing difficulties, but the same principle applies with regard to any physical affliction, and even to what we might see as personality flaws. The grace exhibited by a patient heart cannot be faked, at least not for very long. It isn't a matter of squelching feelings of impatience, but rather an outpouring of abundant grace that comes from a heart filled with love. Any of us who are married have spouses that are human, flawed, and if they are believers, they are also the beneficiaries of God's loving patience. This is the same patience that is showed to us, so let us follow the example of Christ.
Another friend answered my question this way: "It's the reason Tom and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary next month!" To me, this is a demonstration of the power of patience brought forth from a heart of love. Twenty-five years is a long time to persist at anything. Marriage, like most relationships, provides opportunities to exercise patience. There are still examples in this world of ours where people have continued in patience and endurance for more than fifty years. The people in these marriages have learned to show patience. Another word that comes to my mind is faithfulness. Not just the kind of faithfulness that relates to moral purity, but also the kind of faithfulness that continues to do what is right.
Often, patience is about the little things in life. It seems easier to be a hero every once in a while than it does to do what is right, in the little things, today.
Love is patient. When we talk about the difficulty of demonstrating patience we may be focusing on the areas within ourselves where we are still wallowing in selfishness. Love is patient. It doesn't try to be patient, it just is. Paul isn't saying here that love should be patient. The practical application of this fact is this: If we find ourselves struggling to be patient in our relationships; struggling and failing to demonstrate this patience, let us respond by going to the heart of the matter. Lack of patience is a symptom of a deeper problem, which is a lack of love. Love cannot be produced in some warm fuzzy place in our heart. Instead, love is placed in our hearts by the One who is Love. When we see our lack, let us go to Him. Our love for Him will grow if we draw near to Him. When we see His patience for us, it will echo in our hearts in the form of patience for others.
Thanks to those who shared their thoughts regarding this topic. If anyone has other thoughts feel free to share them in the comment box below.
High Investment, Zero Yield
So far in our study using the text of 1 Corinthians 13, we have looked at verses 1 and 2. We have seen that the gifts of tongues, prophecy and faith all need the added ingredient of love. The pattern here is that Paul is using the highest examples of each of these gifts as the objects of his statements. Because of this, the reader can't come along and say that maybe more faith, prophecy or tongues would be enough to substitute for love.
Let's take a look at verse 3 now:
Even if I give away everything that I have and sacrifice myself, but have no love, I gain nothing. – 1 Cor 13:3 ISV
The things that Paul mentions here are generosity and martyrdom. In both cases, he takes each virtue to the extreme, like he did with the gifts mentioned in the first two verses. Again, I believe it is safe to say that if these things are of no value without love, the same qualities exercised to a lesser degree are also of no value without love.
The reason I mention this is because of the fact that we can lose a sense of identifying with the concept if we can't picture ourselves doing the things mentioned. To put this concept in "accessible" terms, donating to the church pantry or helping at a soup kitchen both need to be motivated by love in order to be valuable. Being a giver requires us to release something that we may otherwise have called our own, and it might seem that the act of surrender in itself will make our donation holy. The problem is, those outward actions could be motivated by a blind sense of duty, or the notion that having given, we can check one more thing off our list of obligations, and not worry about it any more. In other cases, giving can be motivated by a desire to be seen by others as generous, hoping that perhaps we will be noticed, and get a return on our "investment".
When this kind of motivation is applied to relationships, it is often accompanied by a kind of mental score-keeping, where we think: "Now that I've given you what you want, it's my turn to get what I want." If our giving is motivated by real love, we are protected from that kind of thinking.
Now, a few words on martyrdom. That word here is mine, not taken from this particular scripture. It is an interesting word, because it has taken on a little bit of a negative meaning when it is used sarcastically. I'm sure most of us have heard someone say, "Don't be such a martyr!" In the speaker's mind, the person they are addressing is making a big deal about how hard it is for them to do what they ought to do, pointing out their righteousness in fulfilling their duty. I can imagine that this kind of attitude might have been on Paul's mind as he wrote this.
Sometimes there is a physical cost involved in doing a good deed for someone else. We may be tired and sore, and push through the pain to get something done. An attitude of martyrdom, in the negative sense, would make us likely to point out our pain to the one our actions were supposed to bless. If this has ever happened to you, you understand that any blessing is stolen away by that kind of attitude.
We can look at Jesus as an example of someone who was generous and who didn't protect His body from pain. One picture that comes to mind is the times that Jesus fed a crowd. Since He was perfect, we know that He was not motivated by pride, or a desire to win some kind of popularity contest. He wasn't just looking for a way to make the disciples shut up and stop bothering Him. Instead, He had the welfare of the multitude and of His disciples in mind, and His love for them is what motivated Him to do what He did. He cared about their empty stomachs, but in addition to that, he cared about their souls. This miracle, and the others He performed were motivated by a desire to bring glory to the Father, certainly, but I think it is safe to say that He was also motivated by a desire to contribute to the welfare of those He served.
Some time ago, I wrote an article called, "Resurrection", which mentioned the fact that Christ's rising from the dead had to be preceded by His death, which in turn was preceded by His time in Gethsemane. This was the time where He had His struggle of will, asking His Father to remove the cup of suffering, if possible. As I have considered His obedience, and the suffering that followed His words, "Not my will", I have also considered the smaller sacrifices I am called to make on behalf of those that I love. I realize now that I was starting to see Jesus as a victim in this story, until a friend reminded me of Christ's words regarding His death:
No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father. – John 10:18 NASV
Yes, Jesus was obedient to His father, but He really did have the opportunity to make a decision other than the one that He did. One might say He wasn't "being a martyr". Aren't you glad Jesus isn't going to walk up to you when you get to Heaven, and say, "It really hurt when they put those nails in my hands. I can't believe you made me do that." No, His words to us will be, "Well done".
There seems to be so much more dignity in this than there would have been if Jesus had been forced to die. He actually chose it! Yes, He was commanded by God to die, but He CHOSE to obey! Through all His agony, He remembered His motivation, which was His love for us.
The Bible says, "Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church..." We may respond, "Ok. I guess if I have to, I will." If that is our response, then what we have isn't love, but a sense of obligation. Love is given, not taken. It may lead to actions of sacrifice, but sacrifice can be motivated by other things as well. If our motivation is something other than love, we are continually making a high investment with zero yield: to condense Paul's words, "I give ... I sacrifice ... I gain nothing".
If you are in a relationship that seems to be defined by these words, ask God to search your heart, to see if you are truly motivated by love. He sees your heart, and He knows how to repair it.
Remember, if you lack love, there is no amount of activity on your part that can manufacture it. Love resides in the heart, and the heart is something that can be changed only by the work of God. Love's only true source is God, and He knows how to make our hearts reflect the image of His heart. Remember, too, that the command to love comes with a choice. A choice to obey, or a choice to disobey. Our free will is given to us by God, and allows us to sacrifice our possessions and ourselves as an act of love, rather than out a sense of duty or self-promotion.
The three verses studied so far in this chapter have dealt with the fact that love is an indispensable ingredient in our lives. There are several verses following that will describe the nature of love. As we look at these, let us remember that all love is God's love, and that we are commanded to follow His example.
Prophecy, Faith and Nothing
As human beings, we have a natural tendency towards pride, which often shows itself in our hearts as a desire to impress others so that they will think highly of us or like us. If this pride is allowed to influence us outwardly, we may act in a way that is designed to show off special skills or abilities, or perhaps, we will do things for others in the hope that our "good deeds" will be rewarded by people's affection.
If we are very skilled, we may be able to do good or impressive things for the wrong reasons, while concealing the fact that our motives are selfish. We can conceal our selfishness from others, and we can conceal our selfishness from ourselves. God, however, looks upon the heart, and judges accordingly.
Who cares? If we do good, won't we end up going to Heaven anyway? Let's take a look at the second verse of I Corinthians 13, and see what we can learn from it:
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. – I Corinthians 13:2 NASV
Paul has been discussing spiritual gifts, and chapter 12 stresses the importance of the church working together as a body. The church at Corinth was made up of people who were like us in many ways, and who apparently were competitive with regard to their spiritual gifts. As we proceed into chapter 13, Paul begins to point out the fact that the gifts themselves are worthless unless they are backed up by the proper motivation.
When we speak of prophecy, and knowledge of mysteries, it is easy to dismiss this verse as applying so someone else, partly because of a common misunderstanding of the word "prophecy". We often think of prophecy as foretelling the future, but the Greek word used here is defined as the gift of communicating and enforcing revealed truth. Paul is using the superlative here, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't apply to those who bear the spiritual gift of prophecy to a lesser degree.
There are times when God's Spirit will make something clear to us, sometimes regarding truth that someone else needs to hear. Our carnal and prideful response, if we allow it, will be delighted for the opportunity to put someone in their place, to go to them and tell them that God has shown you something that they need to deal with.
My desire is to make this practical, and so I will give you an example of someone I know who has the gift of prophecy, but also has love. There are times when God will make it clear to her that she needs to speak to someone about their sin. Rather than taking carnal pleasure in this assignment, she struggles, knowing that it will be difficult to be the bearer of such words, but also knowing that silence would be detrimental.
In our personal relationships, we have daily opportunity to share truth with one another, and sometimes the truth we must share is given to us by God's spirit. When this is the case, let us remember that our gift is "nothing" without love, as expressed in the passage quoted above.
Prophecy without love is nothing, and the same is true of faith. Paul presents the superlative here, just as he did with prophecy. Let's remember that if the utmost faith is nothing without love, then the same is true of moderate or small amounts of faith.
My illustration here is going to come from my personal experience, which reveals some of my own natural tendency towards human pride. I don't think that I have the spiritual gift of faith in a greater measure than the average believer, but there have been times when I have looked at a person who was dealing with physical sickness, and have had this thought go through my mind: "Imagine what would happen if I laid hands on this person and prayed over them, and they instantly recovered." To my shame, this was not motivated by a sense of love for the person, and a desire to relieve their suffering, nor by a desire to glorify God, but rather by a desire to have people look at me, and be impressed with me.
If you can identify with this line of thought, please be willing to admit it to yourself, and confess it to God. If you don't see it in yourself, please ask God to take a look into your heart and reveal sin if it is there.
To have faith with love means that the motivation for the exercising of our faith consists of a desire for God's glory, and for the building up of the church. This kind of faith justifies God when we don't understand His answer to our prayers. Faith with love will never ask, "What's in it for me?"
Again, God sees the motives of our hearts. Prophecy and faith with love are of great value, but without that love, "I am nothing". Here is a quote from Barnes' Notes on the Bible that I found thought-provoking:
I am nothing - All would be of no value. it would not save me. I should still be an unredeemed, unpardoned sinner. I should do good to no one; I should answer none of the great purposes which God has designed; I should not by all this secure my salvation. All would be in vain in regard to the great purpose of my existence. None of these things could be placed before God as a ground of acceptance in the Day of Judgment. Unless I should have love, I should still be lost.
These words strongly bear out the importance of love. Yes, we can fake it. We can go through the motions. The fact is, however, that right action with wrong motivation doesn't do us any good, doesn't build up the church, doesn't glorify God, and doesn't impress Him either, for that matter.
So, what do we do about it? What can we do about it? If we really do have love in our hearts, great, but if we don't, how do we correct the problem? The answer lies at the very core of the gospel. We have no power to change our own hearts. The ability is God's alone. Our only responsibility is this: ask God to search our hearts; be willing to acknowledge what He finds there; ask Him to fill our hearts with the only love that is real. This kind of heart work is God's specialty, and He always does it right. A warning: heart surgery doesn't tend to be painless. As He works, let us remember that we asked Him to do it. I can say from personal experience, that the pain is worthwhile.
Both prophecy and faith are good things. They are, after all, spiritual gifts. And so, I'm not writing to discourage the exercise of prophecy and faith. Instead, I'm writing to remind the reader that these external things hold no value if they aren't backed up by love. May God give us that love.
Sounding Gong, Clanging Cymbal
Introduction
Christ's love has great breadth, length, height and depth. We have looked at these dimensions of His love, but we can also look at some of the qualities of His love. This might be thought of as an exploration of the question of how His love fills up its dimensions.
The thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians is often referred to as the "Love Chapter". The first three verses identify love as being of more importance than the spiritual gifts that were the topic of discussion in the previous chapter. Specifically, it states that love is more important than the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and faith. Even generous giving and martyrdom are nothing without love.
The second section of chapter 13, verses 4 - 6, mentions some of the qualities that describe love. As we go through these verses, we have a kind of barometer that will help us to identify whether a certain action or attitude is truly love, or if it is something else.
From verse 7 to the end of the chapter, Paul speaks of the fact that much of what we know is temporary, but that this is not true of love.
In our previously mentioned exploration of Christ's love, which discussed its dimensions, we were challenged to follow the example of Christ. Continuing in this study, we are now looking at love in general. While we do this, let's keep in mind the fact that all love originates with God. As love is promoted and described in 1 Corinthians, we are still looking at the quality of Christ's love for the church: the love that husbands are commanded to emulate on behalf of their wives. I invite the reader to take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 13, and possibly to take a look at Chapter 12 as well.
A Lot of Noise
Now let's begin looking at the thirteenth chapter verse by verse. My hope here is to come away with something that will provoke thoughtful self-examination, followed by repentance where it is needed. During this process, let's remember that we cannot change ourselves on the inside: this kind of change is the work of the gospel. When we yield our will to God and allow Him to change our hearts, the evidence of this work will show in us outwardly.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. – 1 Corinthians 13:1
Considering the fact that this follows a discussion of spiritual gifts in the previous chapter, we can clearly see that Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is stating that speaking in different languages is just noise, if there is no motivation of love behind it. As is often the case, however, we can look beyond the surface of the Scripture, and find that there is much more wealth to be found. This quote from Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible sheds some light on what the reference to a gong or cymbal might have meant to the first-century reader:
The cymbal was also used in the worship of Heathen deities, and the allusion here in both the things mentioned, is either to the tinkling of brass, and the sounding of cymbals in the worship of idols; which were mere empty sounds, and of no avail, as is a man's speaking with divers tongues, destitute of the grace of love; or to the confused clamours and noises made upon going to battle, just upon the onset, by drums and cymbals, and, hollow sounding pieces of brass ... to which confused noises the apostle compares the most eloquent speech without love.
The audience at Corinth was probably stirred to think of the pointless noise of idolatry, or the jarring noise of battle when they read this. Gill mentions "eloquent speech" in this passage, which brings me to take another look at the meaning of the phrase "tongues of men and angels". "Tongues of men" appears to be a reference to the spiritual gift of tongues, as mentioned before, but it also brings to mind the learned skill of speaking foreign languages. "Tongues of angels" seems to be a somewhat more uncertain idea. Some believe that it refers to an actual language used by the angels, but others see it as a way of describing "the most eloquent speech", to quote Gill again.
While speaking of tongues is given importance in some situations, it would seem that the trap that is more likely to ensnare us in our day-to-day lives is to engage in "eloquent speech" without love. I made this connection in my mind when a friend relayed how he was able to win an informal debate with a younger man, by using his eloquence, and his superior knowledge of the topic of debate. After the younger man left, my friend realized that he had not shown love in his conversation, only a desire to "win". To the young man, my friend must have been a sounding gong and a clanging cymbal.
To bring this home, think of the conversations that you have with those you are commanded to love. How often are we as humans tempted to prove that we are right? How often do you, the reader, give in to that temptation, ignoring the fact that some of your tactics may have the same effect as rolling over them with a steam-roller?
There can be an element of pride in our conversation if we are not careful. In some cases, we do need to provide loving correction of error, but it is very easy to say we are motivated by love, when our true motivation is actually our desire to justify ourselves, to show ourselves superior, or to put someone else down. How can we tell for sure? The motives of the human heart are subtle and sneaky, and we can deceive even ourselves. The answer is to go to God, and ask Him to search our hearts, to see if there is wickedness there. Go with a willingness to have God put His finger on pride in your heart, or any other evidence of a lack of love.
Eloquence and persuasiveness are gifts from God. The apostle Paul warned his readers not to allow the gift of tongues to be used in the absence of love, and I believe that the same applies to eloquence and persuasiveness. If you possess these gifts, use them with a loving heart, in obedience to God, and for His glory.