“Love is patient, love is kind, love is . . .” The words are so familiar they almost lack meaning, a Christianese version of “live, laugh, love.” Even non-Christians are familiar with the Love Chapter of 1 Corinthians, read at weddings, painted on decorative signs, and preached regularly from the pulpit. But what happens when these verses are taken seriously? What would it take for someone to live out the Love Chapter as literally as possible?
That was the question Kim Sorrelle set out to answer during her yearlong experiment. Using 1 Corinthians 13 as a road map, she focused on one phrase at a time, seeking to understand its true meaning and how it could motivate every daily action. And she didn’t just look at the best-known parts of the passage but also the ones we don’t think too deeply about: love does not boast, does not dishonor others, doesn’t keep a record of wrongs, and more.
In her attempts to live the Love Chapter to the letter, Kim journeyed all the way to Haiti, where she met people who both tested and displayed love to its limits. From irritating employees to sexist short-term missionaries to curse-wielding women to the profoundly kind nuns, her encounters are filled with rueful self-reflection and comical commentary, as well as a new understanding of the nuances and power of true love in action.