Gong, Cymbal, or Harp?

1Cor 13 The Sounds of Love

Ever been to a band concert? Which instrument captures our attention; is it the loudest and less comforting to the ear? If you said gong or cymbal, you would be right. The cymbal has two pieces that, when struck together, vibrate quickly. Cymbals sounds are harsh; the pitch cannot be determined and is more like unpleasant noise. Paul reminds the Corinthians and us as well that if our words came across without love, we are just like those noisy gongs or cymbals.

Take an assessment of yourself today. Do your words sound like a gong or a cymbal or soft like the angelic harps?

Further, Paul listed the attributes of love as a way of edifying the church. Were they being patient? Then they had the highest gift of love. How about kindness? To be kind to one another is a God-given trait that shows the attribute of God to an unbelieving world. After Paul listed all these qualities, he reminded the Corinthians that love never ends! It is long-lasting, permanent, and produces a soft-sounding quality because the greatest gift is love, even above faith and hope!

Are you a gong, a cymbal, or a soft sound like the harps of the angelic choir?