What is love? In English, that question has many answers, depending on the context of who is asking whom, and the timing of said question. We don't have many words for 'love', but use it differently in context. Personally, I am learning Spanish at the moment, and the first word for love that I learned was 'te quiero' or 'I love you' 'quiero' when not speaking of a human, simply means 'I want' - which almost seems selfish to an English-trained brain! They do have another word though - amor, which has the same root as our words for enamoured and amorous, which give quite a different feeling than a word that translates 'I want'! Greek, the language of the New Testament, including Corinthians, uses four different words - some describe them in definite boundaries, although I understand their actual usage does involve more overlap than many are aware of. The word in this passage is 'agape', which is the self-sacrificial love.
So context is key! The context here, given by particularly the preceding chapter, but also leading into the next, is spiritual gifts. Specifically not the 'wow look at what I can do' type of looking at spiritual gifts, which Paul is preaching against, but more of a 'how can I serve God and His people', and the assurance that all gifts, whether 'showy' or not are part of God's service and of equal value. Also, He provides the gifts, and not our own ability necessarily.
As an aside, one part I love about reading this chapter is the translation of love given in the KJV - charity. It is always I reminder when I see that word of the meaning of charity long ago - a love which gives - in many ways English has lost the idea of this and just lumped charity in as another type of love, and the word charity has come to mean donations/handouts/monetary giving/social services. To me though, when I see charity, I see 'giving love to others'.
Love is central to a Christian. There is no better, there is no more to what a Christian is. After all ' Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins....we love God, because He first loved us' sums up our conversion and walk and 'Love the Lord Your God with all your heart soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself' sums up the commandments, God's standard.
Preaching without love is empty talk, religious tradition, and/or works righteousness philosophy.
Praying without love is 'mumbling to the invisible imaginary friend in the ceiling'.
Giving away money without love is worthless, works righteousness again, frivoulous and/or condescending.
Love is our characteristic. It is not founded on emotion, though emotion may form part of it at times. It is our character in good times and bad - whether it is hard to show love, or easy. It is imperfect here on Earth - but unlike other things which fade away, it endures and is our character in Heaven.
As a final thought here, I would mention that it is not our love that we are showing, that is our character. Human love is weak, falible, and frail. Yet we can love, with a love that is strong, sure, and enduring, because we know hte love of God in our lives - and our love is a reflection of that, a small spring that flows out of us from the great river that floods our souls. We may be imperfect channels, but we know a perfect Love which indwells us.
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