Parable of Five Cities
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Illustration

A certain young lady began a journey that led her to five cities in quest of her one true love. She found him in the first city and fell completely in love with him, but she was wrong and he left her in the City of Disappointment.

Her journey took her to the next city, where she again thought the ideal was at hand; but, in this city called Rebellion, she found only bitterness.

Once again she set forth and found a beautiful love called respect. This was the City of Dignity.

Again she set forth to find her true love and there she found some happiness in the City of Adventure and, when this love faded, she finally arrived at the city of her fulfillment, which was named Partnership.

The young lady thought she found love in the cities of Disappointment, Rebellion, Dignity and Adventure, but it was in the City of Partnership that she found her fulfillment.

While St. Paul wrote a beautiful chapter of love to the Corinthians, (I Corinthians 13) he counseled, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels and have not love, I am as sounding brass," and qualified that love was patient and kind.

He also knew that love is the "Greatest of all" the gifts of God and that man is meant to keep the quest alive, though his journeys lead him to many cities.