If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (verse 1)

A gong has always impressed me as an almost unnecessary instrument. Each time a musician slams into one with a mallet to achieve the dull, disconcerting clash, I fully expect a secret passage to appear, or an oriental servant to fawn onto the stage. Cymbals provide slightly more flexible, functional accents of emphasis. However, both the gong and the cymbal produce but a single monotonous tone which, if protracted, soon grows irritating. Paul, who obviously was not enchanted by either of them, simply noted that gongs are "noisy," and cymbals "clang." But he says more; eloquence without love is just so much noise.

Love energizes and creates. Love does the deed which indifferen…