Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Derrick Porter each Sunday during the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. This will be given Sunday, May 11, 2025. This is week No. 4,991 of the broadcast.
Nearly 600 years ago, Thomas à Kempis, in his book “The Imitation of Christ,” wrote: “Love is an excellent thing. … It bears a burden without being weighted and renders sweet all that is bitter. … Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger or higher or wider; nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller.” (“The Imitation of Christ,” by Thomas à Kempis, published by Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1940, page 68.)
The Bible teaches that charity — the purest and highest form of love — is patient and kind. It does not envy, boast or act proudly. Charity does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking and is not easily angered. Charity bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Charity is strong.
Some unwisely may say that showing love is a weakness. Yet real love — charity — has real power — power that can change not only a heart but even the world. Love shown to others promotes communication, reduces contention and yields understanding. Whether shown by a simple act or through valiant and sustained service over many years, love’s true power is always humble, and its strength brings about miracles.
Jochebed, the mother of Moses, offered courageous and selfless love for her baby son, putting him in a basket and, with unwavering faith, placing that basket by the reeds in a river to save his life. Jochebed’s love and courage ensured that Moses, many years later, would be where he needed to be so he could help to deliver the children of Israel (see Exodus 2:1-4; 6:20).
The widow of Zarephath is another person who showed true love when the prophet Elijah, during a famine, desired food and water. The widow humbly offered the last of her crumbs, her selfless love resulting in a miracle. Her jar of flour and jug of oil would never run dry, sustaining her throughout the remainder of the famine (see 1 Kings 17:8-16).
God is a God of love (see 1 John 4:8), and we can feel the power of His love as we exercise faith and trust in Him (see Proverbs 3:5-6). Like the loving acts of these faithful women, our humble acts of love can allow for us to see God’s hand in our lives, even if doing so takes time and looks different from what we ever would have imagined.
Yes, there is power in love — it is God’s power. Power that can change our lives, power that can change the world.
Tuning in …
The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is available on KSL-TV, KSL News Radio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirecTV, SiriusXM (Ch. 143), tabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (must enable skill). The program is aired live on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. Mountain Time on these outlets. Look up broadcast information by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.
