"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."
1 Corinthians 13:8 (NIV)
Death takes everything except one thing. Your house, your savings, your achievements, your reputation—all of it stays behind when you die. Even the spiritual gifts God gives for building His church are temporary tools for this age. They serve their purpose now, but they won't cross the threshold into eternity. There is only one thing that death cannot touch. Only one investment that survives the grave.
Paul tells us that love never fails. The word he uses for "fails" means to fall away or lose value. Everything else loses its value eventually. Spiritual gifts that seem so important now will pass away. Knowledge that feels so powerful will fade. But agape love, that self-giving, sacrificial love that flows from God's heart, never loses its worth. This isn't about feelings that come and go. This is the eternal love that endures forever.
John reveals something profound in 1 John 4:16. "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." God doesn't just have love or give love. God is love. Love isn't something God does. It's who He is at His core. When you live in love, you're living in Him. When you choose to love someone sacrificially, even when it costs you, you're participating in God's eternal nature. Love like this is immortal because God is immortal.
This truth transforms how you approach everything in your life. Your career becomes a platform for patient service when a difficult client tests you. Your income becomes a tool for generous blessing when your neighbor loses their job. Your skills become instruments of mentorship when a younger coworker needs guidance. The question isn't whether you work hard or plan wisely. The question is whether love like this shapes how and why you do these things.
What's driving your decisions right now? When you stay late at work, is it to serve your team or just climb higher? When you save money, is it to create capacity for generosity or just protect yourself? When you develop new skills, is it to bless others more effectively or just advance your career? Love like this doesn't abandon earthly pursuits. It transforms them into eternal investments.
Godseekers, agape is what crosses the threshold into eternity. Work hard and build a good life. Save wisely and plan faithfully. But let God's love transform those pursuits into something that survives death. Use your position to practice patience and kindness. Use your paycheck to meet needs sacrificially. Use your expertise to mentor and encourage. When you stand before God, the promotion won't matter. The salary won't transfer. But the love you showed through your work? That comes with you. That's Love's Lasting Worth.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me with a love that never fails. Thank You that Your agape never wavers, never fades, never ends. Forgive me when I've made career or money an end instead of a means for love. Forgive me when I've pursued these things for myself instead of using them to bless others. Transform my heart so that love like this shapes everything I do. Help me use my work as a platform for serving people. Help me steward my resources to meet needs generously. Let everything I build be marked by sacrificial love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
- How is God's love currently shaping the way I approach my work and resources?
- Where have I been pursuing career or financial security for myself instead of using them as platforms for love?
Step of Faith
Today, I will use my expertise to mentor someone who needs help, or I will use part of my income to meet a specific need I've been aware of but ignoring.
