In the Bible, tucked in between two chapters about gifts of the Holy Spirit, is a chapter completely about love.  These two chapters are not the only places in the Bible which are about Spiritual gifts, but this is a little different.

I find that quite interesting.

It’s in the center.

Follow in 1 Cor. chapters 12-14.

In 1 Cor. 13, it starts out by saying, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

Now I don’t know about you, but a gong or a loud clanging cymbal would really grate on my nerves after a very short period of time.  If I’m just going along using my spiritual gifts in a prideful way, or if I give to the poor and act as if I’m generous, then I am being irritating.

I am nothing.  I gain nothing.

I am not showing the kind of love that Jesus did.  Our world is already too full of words and information.  It’s short on love.

Real love.

Jesus demonstrated his genuine love to his disciples by washing their feet.  He stooped down low and did the unthinkable.  In John 13:2-5, it describes the leader being a servant and washing the grimy feet of his friends.

The dinner had been prepared.

He already knew that Judas Iscariot was going to betray him unto death.

“….so He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

Jesus showed them the full extent of His love.  He showed them by doing.

It demonstrates the way we are supposed to love others.  It sets the stage for the Dance with the Holy Spirit.

The table is prepared off to the side.  The soft music is playing. The loud clanging noises are  silenced.  The Lord takes my hand and raises me up.  I have clean feet and it enables them  to move smoothly in the dance.

Healing begins.

Love is in the Center.

These concepts of the dance with the Holy Spirit, are my paraphrases inspired by the book, “Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit”, written by Long, Stokes, and Strickler.