“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-12
I was extremely anti-squash growing up, they just tasted nasty to me. Despite everyone telling me how good they were for me, I rejected them at every turn. I went so long before giving them a second chance. Now, I am a squash lover, and cannot imagine life without them.
We all have moments of clarity. Sometimes they may be as subtle as discovering that vegetables actually taste good. Other times it’s significant clarity in your faith that leads to experiencing a deeper level of love with God. Clarity brings us out of our child-like ways and takes us into more adult ways. One area of life that requires us to step into maturity is love.
Paul wrote the verses we are looking at today at the end of one of his most famous chapters. 1 Corinthians 13 is known as the love chapter, so it pops up in 90% of weddings. While this chapter reveals some incredible characteristics of love and how we should apply them, they reveal something greater: Jesus changes everything.
Paul was an effective communicator, and his life was changed by the love of Jesus. In fact, Paul’s life was so radically changed that he took the greatest command Jesus gave and used it as the heartbeat behind so much of his writing. Jesus looked at His followers and told them, “Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another” (John 13:34). Once Jesus changed Paul’s life, Paul used his writing to demonstrate how to live out this great commandment.
Paul knew this crucial reality for those following Jesus: when you see Jesus, you become more like Him. If Jesus is love, the more you see Him, the more you see love and become like Jesus. Maturing into love is how people get a genuine glimpse of our Heavenly Father. The promise is that one day, we will fully mature in love.
Paul described it as seeing in a mirror dimly but one day, face-to-face, we will fully know. I love this! It the purpose of preserving through this life and overcoming tough seasons. We get glimpses of Jesus when love is demonstrated in this world, and others get glimpses of Jesus when we demonstrate love.
Jesus fully knows you. Every single detail of your life; good, bad, and the ugly. Yet, as you are fully known by Jesus, you are fully loved.
One day, we will fully know Jesus, face-to-face. What a promise, and what motivation. We will see and know Him fully, as He sees and knows us fully. Everything will be made clear. Until that day, we will have moments where we see dimly.
Some days love may seem a little more distant than we would like in this world. But we have the promise that our loving Father is everywhere we are. He is never distant or absent; He is with us, and He loves us.
Take heart in knowing that one day, you will fully know your Savior and you will fully know the love He has for you. Jesus fully knows and loves you. How does lead you to give others glimpses of His love?
Prayer: Father God, thank you for knowing and loving me fully. In the many seasons of life, I trust You are with me. As I get glimpses of You, I am spurred to be with You; and when I am with You, I am changed forever. Let Your love be a marker of my life and show others Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
