“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become like a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

I Corinthians 13: 1-5, 7-8, 13 NKJV

If we don’t know or have never seen the original of a product, when the fake or counterfeit is sold to us we will never know, because for every original there is a fake and for every counterfeit there is an original. The bible calls the god of this world’s system a liar; that is a deceiver, a counterfeiter. He does not create or initiate but counterfeits the original.

Have you ever been sold fake gold, or have you ever seen a pirated movie (aka a cinema dubbed movie), or a song perverted? Now if you’ve never seen the original before you’re likely to go with it and be content with the fake and be wondering why it is not good; why the product doesn’t last. You could out rightly condemn the product or the brand.

But if you have ever seen the original you would be able to detect the fake as soon as you see it. Even when you’ve taken the fake home, you’d most likely not use it because you know and have seen the original therefore you can recognize the counterfeit.

God is the original LOVE. His love for you and I is demonstrated throughout the scriptures. John 3:16 is the height of love. Jesus says no greater love is there than a man should lay down his life for a friend. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand Love from God’s Word so as not to be victims of counterfeit in our relationships, marriage and in all our dealings.

True love is not selfish, self-seeking, self-concerned. It is never about itself, therefore it is not manipulative, deceptive or abusive. True love is patient and therefore waits. Our text is a classic teaching on love; anything short of it is anything but love.

Parents, show and demonstrate true and balanced love to your children at home, so when they go out they will know the difference and not be victims of deception. But you cannot give what you don’t have, that’s why we must allow the Word of God to be our standard of love. When we are full of love according to the Word of God, it will become natural for us to spread what we are full of.

I pray you will become God’s channel of true Love so that our world will be filled with love unfeigned in Jesus’ name.

Happy Valentine!!!