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Love Can Be Bigger Than the Difference - Saturday, 09/12/2026

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1–13

This passage is often read at weddings, but it was not originally written for a wedding.

It was written to a community experiencing division.

People were comparing themselves.

Competing.

Arguing over who mattered most.

And into that situation Paul says that intelligence, ability, accomplishment, and even impressive faith mean very little if love is missing.

That gives us a useful test for disagreement.

You can be right and still be unkind.

You can have good evidence and still be arrogant.

You can make a brilliant argument and still damage someone unnecessarily.

Being right matters.

But how we treat people while pursuing what is right matters too.

Love is not pretending differences do not exist.

Love is deciding that another person’s dignity does not disappear because they disagree with us.

Imagine what could happen if our homes became places where people knew:

“I can be honest here.”

“I can ask questions here.”

“I can change my mind here.”

“I can disagree here.”

“And I will still be treated with love.”

That kind of home would be strong.

And in a world increasingly trained to divide people into sides, that kind of relationship might be one of the most powerful things we can offer.

Reflection Question: What would it look like for love to become bigger than one disagreement in your life?

Concrete Action Step: Reach out today to someone you care about but do not always agree with. Do not discuss the disagreement. Simply do something that communicates: “You matter to me.” A call. A text. Coffee. An invitation. A small act of  kindness. Let the relationship speak louder than the difference.

Prayer: God of love, help me become someone who can hold convictions without losing compassion. Teach me to value people more than winning, to seek peace without avoiding truth, and to love across the differences that remain. Amen.