Enough

1st Corinthians 13:1-3

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."

Wow. Pretend you just read that for the first time. Maybe you did. Think about it either way. As Christians, what makes us successful in life? We know that our definition and the world's definition must be different, but what is our exact definition? How do we know that we have done what God called us to? For me, I think in younger years I probably thought if I just had enough head knowledge then I would be a good Christian. (Disclaimer: There is no such thing as a good Christian, there is only a good Christ.) So I went through AWANA thinking that the more sections I did, the more verses I memorized, then the better person I would be. Put that up against this passage. You understand all mysteries and all knowledge? Good for you. Now when was the last time you gave time to help people? Who was the last person you offered a word of encouragement to? So, through enough youth group messages and devotionals, I realized that head knowledge wasn't the way. The funny part is that, though I realized my first mistake, I went into a second lie. Instead of realizing my little disclaimer up there, I chose the next lie.

What's next in our passage? If I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. Notice this verse says I am nothing. Not just "I have nothing", but "I am nothing" that's pretty brutal huh? Lie #2? That if I just believe enough, I can be a good Christian. (See earlier disclaimer). Believe enough? "Enough" is an interesting word. What is enough? Enough for what? I was trying to fill the gap my sin had made, between me and God. With what? Belief. Belief is a good step one in the Christian faith. "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." However, one must understand what they are believing in. Not just the existence of God, or that God is the Creator. No, the belief needed is the belief of the Gospel. And as I have said, part one of the Gospel: We are lost. Beyond help. So, let's come back to "enough" I can't do anything enough, including believe in God. Because the only true "enough" is sufficient. His Grace is enough. Nothing else.

So, that puts the kibosh on lie #2, but think about all the things our passage talks about. Being a good speaker, prophesy, giving to the poor, all of these are things we do, thinking they will be "enough" Now don't walk away from this saying: "I shouldn't have faith or give to the poor". All of these are good things, the problem is we try to elevate them to our Savior. We cling to them, when we should be clinging to Christ. You may be wondering: "Doesn't this chapter say we should put love ahead of these things?" Yes. Yes, because if we don't love, if we don't encourage, if we don't act Christ-like to the people of this world, then why would they ask us about Him? That's the goal, that is earthly success. People seeing us and wondering: What makes them different? Love is the difference between us and the world. Love is what makes the world us.