In a world that constantly chases after wealth, influence, and recognition, it’s easy to lose sight of what really counts. We spend years building careers, collecting possessions, and striving for status—only to find that, in the end, none of those things follow us beyond this life. What remains? According to Scripture, it’s simple and profound: love.
Love Is the Greatest
The Apostle Paul says it plainly in 1 Corinthians 13:13—"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." This isn’t sentimental fluff. It’s a hard truth. Love is the standard by which our lives will be measured—not our success, not our bank account, not our followers on social media.
Jesus reinforced this when asked what the greatest commandment was. His reply in Matthew 22:37-39 still echoes today:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Everything else, He said, hangs on these two commandments.
Learning to Love
Love doesn’t always come naturally. The world teaches us to guard our hearts, to fight for our own interests, to look out for number one. But love—real, biblical love—is selfless. It’s patient, kind, forgiving. It doesn’t keep score or demand repayment.
We learn to love by watching Jesus. He loved the outcasts. He loved the sinner. He washed feet. He wept at a friend’s grave. He laid down His life—not for the righteous, but for the broken.
If we want to grow in love, we must spend time with Him. In prayer. In His Word. In community with others who are trying to live the same way. Love isn’t a feeling we wait for; it’s a choice we practice.
Practicing Love Every Day
Practicing love means showing up when it’s inconvenient. It means giving when it’s not returned. It means listening more than we speak, forgiving more than we think is fair, and showing mercy in the face of failure.
Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The world doesn’t recognize us by our theology or our worship music or even our Bible knowledge—it sees our love.
What Will Matter in the End?
At the end of your life, no one will talk about how big your house was, how many trophies were on your shelf, or how high your salary reached. They’ll remember whether you were kind. Whether you showed up when someone was hurting. Whether you gave without expecting anything back. They’ll remember how you loved.
But even more important than what people remember is how God sees your life. When we stand before Him, we won’t be asked how much money we made or what position we held. The question will be: Did you love Me? Did you love others?
Final Thought
1 John 4:7-8 says:
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Let’s learn and practice love—not just on Sundays, not just when it’s easy—but every day, with every person God puts in our path. Because at the end of it all, love is what lasts.
