But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it - because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you're letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you. 1 Cor 13:13 - 2 Cor 14:1-3 The Message
Most times when I have read 1 Corinthians chapter 13 I have stopped at the end of the chapter. However this time when I read it I continued on into the first few verses of chapter 14, where the importance of proclaiming his truth in everyday speech is highlighted.
The link between loving extravagantly and proclaiming his truth in our everyday lives can be challenging, especially when we let the 'fear of man' enter in. Those thoughts in our head like, 'how will they react if I start talking about how God works in my life? Will they be offended? Will they get angry? Will they still be my friend if I talk about how much Jesus loves them? I know for myself they are the thoughts that so often go around in my head before I speak out and proclaim his truth. The truth that I have experienced in my life.
When I think about all Jesus has done for me, I am convicted by the Holy Spirit, that I have not spoken out more, and 'let others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence'. His wonderful presence that transforms lives, that has transformed my life.
So that is my prayer today, please give me boldness and courage Jesus to proclaim your truth in my everyday speech, so that those people you put on my path of life can grow and be strong and experience your presence. Please help me to love extravagantly in this way.
A question for you, is this a prayer that you would like to pray too? Why not pray it and see what words come out of your mouth today? Jesus has done it all, we are only asked to proclaim His truth.
