Calvary Love

The Bible's "love chapter" often reminds me of one of the greatest little treasures of a book, Amy Carmichael's If. She helps me expand the sentences, clauses, and phrases of 1 Corinthians 13 into real situations that demand "Calvary love." Here are four "Ifs" that illustrate our memory verse (1 Cor. 13:7), taken from our meditation passage (1 Cor. 13:4-8a) in the RMMR schedule.

Love bears all things.

If monotony tries me, and I cannot
           stand drudgery;
if stupid people fret me and little
           ruffles set me on edge;
if I make much of the trifles of life,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

 Love believes all things.

If I do not give a friend "the benefit of
           the doubt,"
        but put the worst construction
           instead of the best on what is
           said or done,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

 Love endures all things.

If I feel injured when another lays to
           my charge things that I know
           not,
        forgetting that my Sinless Saviour
           trod this path to the end,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

Love hopes all things.

If I do not look with eyes of hope on
           all in whom there is even a faint
           beginning,
        as our Lord did, when,
           just after His disciples had
           wrangled about which of them
           should be accounted the greatest,
        He softened His rebuke with those
           heart-melting words, "Ye are
           they which have continued with
           Me in My temptations,"
then I know nothing of Calvary love.

 "That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God."

Amy Carmichael, If (Christian Literature Crusade, Fort Washington: Pennsylvania, 1938), 27, 44, 47, 53, 78.


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