Home Building Corinthians Style

I am confident that you are familiar with the first 13 verses of 1 Corinthians 13. Most every wedding I've ever attended, these verses are read.

But how do they relate to 'home building' other than the obvious? How do they relate to Jesus in our everyday life? Today and tomorrow,we're going to break it down verse by verse.
My friend, Suzi, who has taught many classes on marriage gave me the paraphrase. It's eye-opening. I hope you'll be as challenged as I am by it.

1 Corinthians 13:1

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Paraphrase: If I clean the house so it is spotless every day; if I prepare gourmet meals and do all the kitchen cleanup; if I make sure everyone has all their clothes cleaned, folded and put away and have no time to affirm my husband in a way that encourages him in love, I am only a noisy gong and clanging cymbal.

:2

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Paraphrase: If I run errands for my husband daily; if I carpool all my children to different commitments; if I plan weekend social events so I am known as an outstanding hostess but have no interest in spending quality time to love and encourage the man I married, then I am nothing.

:3

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Paraphrase: If I participate in weekly Bible studies; if I can quote volumes of Scripture, if I volunteer to help for every special event at church and give generously to Christian organizations and ignore my husbands physical needs, I gain nothing.

And it goes on... This is 'home building' from the inside out. Before we tackle the rest of 1 Corinthians, let's digest this slowly and methodically.

Why would our husbands want to know our Jesus, if we have no time, energy, or attentiveness for him? One of my life Scriptures is Deut. 32:47, "these are not just idle words for you [speaking of the Bible], they are your life."

Are you seeing why it's so important to come into the Word each day? It's a Manual for Living. It keeps us from falling into life's ditches... Even when it comes to our marriages.