Love is Humble
Boasting is fascinating to me. On the one hand, boasting seems fairly benign, or at least a net neutral. There's no harm that is immediately evident by the act of saying nice things about ourselves and our accomplishments. On the other hand, boasting seems so needless. What do we genuinely gain if we impress our peers by talking big about ourselves? I would imagine that even if we did gain repour with others for our self-proclaimed exploits, at the end of the day, they're admiring a version of ourselves that really isn't true.
The Apostle Paul says it this way. "Love does envy or boast." Now, it might be tempting to connect this use of the word boast with Paul's use in other places of scripture, such as Romans 4:2 (For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.); 1 Corinthians 1:31 (so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”); and 2 Corinthians 8:24 (So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.). However, Each of those instances are translated from different Greek words. In fact, they don't even share the same root word!
While it's useful to remember that just because words look different it doesn't mean they can't be synonyms. In fact, in English, the words 'brag' and 'boast' are quite close in meaning. What is more useful to our reflection today, though, is that the word used in 1 Corinthians 13 is entirely unique. Nowhere else in the New Testament will you find this word. it is a single occurrence in the entire Bible. Even the Septuagint translators before the time of Christ did not use this word that Paul is contrasting love against.
The Greek word translated as 'boast' is, in this verse the words περπερεύεται, though we might pronounce it: perpereuetai. It's only a bit more of a mouthful compared the to καυχάομαι/kauxaomai which is used in every other instance of our word 'boast.'
Ironically, the difference in meaning is best understood through how pride works in English. Being proud of my son for scoring well on an exam he studied hard for is very different then the pride I show when I like to remind everyone how smart I am. One is a sympathy for another's accomplishments, and another is letting others know I think highly of myself.
The former is like καυχάομαι in 2 Corinthians 8:24, and the latter is like περπερεύεται in Corinthians 13:4.
Love doesn't need to make itself known.
Late last week, Brother Ron C and I went to visit and thank Charlie, who made our new lettering for the church sign. We met him at his shop and I could tell from just walking past his innumerable wooden artisanry, this man is good at what he does. He is really good. He didn't need to tell me about it. He didn't even mention it. Charlie didn't need to let me know about it, because talent refined and mastered doesn't need announcing. Its evidence speaks loud and clear.
Love doesn't need introducing. It needs no announcement. Love doesn't have to make itself known, because love does not boast.
Love is humble.
-pastor eli