
"Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” - 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
I’ve always been fascinated by archaeology. There’s something about finding something so old that its value isn’t based on its materials but on how well it’s been preserved over time. Lately, I’ve even gotten into metal detecting, which has become my own little version of archaeology.
In the short time I’ve been metal detecting, I’ve found a few small items that are nearly 100 years old. But the most interesting find wasn’t a coin or a piece of jewelry. It was a rusty, thin piece of wire shaped roughly into a heart, attached to a short chain.
Even though it has little value (it’s not made of precious metal, and I can’t even tell how old it is) I keep it. It makes me smile because I wonder about its story. Who made it? Who was it for? What was the story behind this little gesture of love?
One thing I’ve learned from archaeology is that every object once had value. It was used, loved, and important to someone. But over time, it got lost and forgotten, buried in the ground. Imagine, though, if someone told you about something that would never lose its value, never get buried, and only get more valuable as time goes on. That would be an amazing investment, right?
That’s exactly what Paul is talking about in our verse today. He’s saying that if we invest in faith, hope, and love, they will last forever. Of those three, the greatest investment we can make is love. Why? Because God is love. And when we follow Him, love becomes a part of who we are. It’s something that doesn’t fade or get lost. It stays with us.
So, what if we spent more time investing in our faith, celebrating hope, and pouring out love? We would leave a lasting impact on the world. Instead of digging through the ground to find something valuable, people would see the effects of our investments right in front of them; in our actions, our words, and our lives. And the best part is, those investments—faith, hope, and love—will last forever.
HIGHLIGHTED QUOTE: “What if we spent more time investing in increasing faith, celebrating hope and overflowing love?”
TIP OF THE DAY: Rather than place an expectation on someone to produce these 3 attributes in your life, go to the source, the Spirit of God, who has the ability to produce these as fruit in you, Galatians 5:22-23.
TALKING TO GOD: Dear Lord, first, thank you for the privilege of knowing You and being able to experience your unconditional love that lasts forever. Please help me to see greater ways that I can invest in things that last forever. Please give me opportunities to increase my faith. Thank you so much for the Hope that I have in You and Your promises. Show me ways that I am withholding Your love to others.
PAUSE AND REFLECT
- Take some time to assess your life investments by separating them out as eternal and temporary while identifying where you spend the most time.
- Place the list in order of what you feel is your stronger to weaker attribute: Love, Hope, and Faith
- How can you invest in someone today with one of these 3 areas?