Clanging Cymbals

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1
Music is appealing and soothing to the ears. It is pleasant and enjoyable to listen to. However, music that is chaotic and unorderly is like nails on a chalkboard. What gives? Both are the clanging of brass and cymbals, yet one is pleasing while the other is unnerving. This principle also applies to us in our lives. Every action, word, thought, motive, and anything we do is like a clanging cymbal. What determines whether it is good or bad is the presence of love within it. Love is like the order within music. It is what keeps the clanging brass and cymbals in a harmonious tune. If we do anything without that love, our actions, thoughts, motives, and words will all be chaotic, unorderly, out of God’s will, and potentially harmful to others, whether we realize it or not. We live in a darkened world where people are all about themselves, willing to do anything to benefit themselves rather than seeking to love others. If everyone in an orchestra played their instrument the way they wanted and not according to the conductor, nothing would sound right because everyone is trying to play their own music. It would sound horrible. But God, who is our conductor, guides us with His love that we may all come together as the Body of Christ, unified to bring love to this world. Revealing love in your actions, words, and your life isn’t what your flesh wants. An orchestra cannot be self-centered but must be obedient to the conductor if the music is to be pleasing and orderly in love.
“Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air? – 1 Corinthians 14:7-8.
These verses are from the chapter where Paul is discussing the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, but this point that he made can also be applied here. We are to do everything in love and show love to people because love is that distinction in the music that we play, and people will see that and acknowledge it. If we go around trying to get people saved by shoving the Word down their throats or trying to talk to them about Jesus without first approaching with love, why would they want to change? They don’t know who Jesus is; in fact, they probably don’t even believe He is real. Look at how Jesus approached people. Jesus came to the people and showed them love, whether it was through a miracle, healing, or some other way. It is that love that opens people up. Sometimes it isn’t just one action of love but an array of them that opens people up to God. Like Paul said, if you don’t utter words that are easy to understand, it is like speaking into the air. If we do things that confuse and harden people, we do nothing beneficial to them. Some people are hardened to God as a whole, and the only way to them is through the persistence of loving them.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19.
Why did we choose to love God? Because He loved us first and revealed that love. That love is why we love Him today is because we saw who He is. Why would the people, who we talk to today, want Jesus if they never saw or knew His true loving nature? That is why we are to walk in love in all things so that people will see the loving nature and character of Jesus. So overall, love is distinct from anything else in this world. In fact, it is the most distinct thing there is because it is from God. That God-love is what changes people, breaks chains, and is the key to all things. For without it, we are just a bunch of clanging cymbals.
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” – 1 John 4:11.