Useless Without Love 爱不可缺
Dexu Xia
If I give all I possess to the poor . . . but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3
After taking the pieces for my special-order table from the box and laying them out before me, I noticed something wasn’t quite right. The beautiful top for the table and other parts were accounted for, but it was missing one of the legs. Without all of the legs, I couldn’t assemble the table, rendering it useless.
It’s not just tables that are useless when missing one vital piece. In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul reminded his readers that they were missing one essential component. The believers possessed many spiritual gifts but lacked love.
Using exaggerated language to emphasize his point, Paul wrote that even if his readers had all knowledge, if they gave away every single thing they owned, and even if they willingly suffered hardship, without the essential foundation of love, their actions would all amount to nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Paul encouraged them to always infuse their actions with love, movingly describing the beauty of a love that always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres (vv. 4–7).
As we use our spiritual gifts, perhaps to teach, encourage, or serve in our faith communities, remember that God’s design always calls for love. Otherwise, it’s like a table missing a leg. It can’t achieve the true purpose for which it was designed.
When have you experienced love being a missing ingredient? What is an example where love was integral?
Heavenly Father, it amazes me that You do everything in love. Help me learn to love like You.
我若将所有的周济穷人，⋯⋯却没有爱，仍然与我无益。—哥林多前书13章3节
收到特别订制的桌子之后，我便从盒中将所有部件取出来，一一排列整齐，准备组装。然而，我发现有点不对劲，其他的部件和美丽的桌面都到齐了，却唯独缺了一支桌脚。桌脚既不齐全，我便无法组装桌子，所有的部件都无用武之地。
事实上，不管是组装一张桌子或任何其他物品，只要缺少一个重要的部件，便会全无用处。在哥林多前书中，保罗也提醒哥林多教会，他们缺少了一个关键要素。这群信徒拥有诸多的属灵恩赐，唯独缺少了爱。
保罗用较夸张的言语强调他所要表达的重点，他说即使这群信徒拥有一切的知识，或愿意献出自己拥有的一切，甚至他们甘愿受苦，但如果没有最重要的爱为基础，那么，他们所做的都算不得什么（哥林多前书13章1-3节）。保罗鼓励他们，无论做什么都要出于爱，他还描述这份爱的美好是在于宽容、相信、盼望和忍耐（4-7节）。
当我们使用属灵恩赐时，无论是教导、劝勉，或在信仰群体中服事，都当谨记上帝的心意永远是以爱为本。否则，上帝赐给我们的恩赐，就会像少了一支脚的桌子一样，无法达成它应发挥的真正功能。
你何时曾经历过万事具备,唯独缺少了爱的景况？
试说出一个以爱为本的例子。
天父，祢的一切作为皆出自爱，实在令我惊叹。
求祢帮助我能学像祢那样，凡事以爱为本。