12 We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
13 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. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13, The Message
We come to the last two verses in 1 Corinthians 13, known as the Love Chapter, penned by Paul to the church in Corinth. Paul says that right now we are “incomplete.” I like that adjective. It is gentler than saying we are stupid or even blinded by our sinfulness. Incompleteness hints to a completeness that is coming, a revelation we will someday receive. I think of a piece of art halfway finished. As I step into widowhood I think of missing my husband and how he completed me with his gentleness and strength. I think of my children, now adults, and miss all the chaos and laughter they brought to the dinner table. Perhaps we can think of the paycheck that has not arrived that will complete the income for the month. What pictures come to your mind when you think about being incomplete?
Paul says that during this time of incompleteness we can cling to faith, hope and love. But I like the descriptions the Message gives: faith…trust steadily in God – he’s dependable, hope unswervingly -don’t let those dreams die, and then love extravagantly – with your whole heart, overflowing, and gushing. Having a loving heart covers for so many things that we do incompletely. My husband loved to say, “I’m drinking from the saucer cuz my cup is overflowing.” May you drink from the saucer today from a cup overflowing with love!
On the Way to Wonder 