Five Minute Friday: THIRTEEN

Today I'm linking up with the Five Minute Friday community, where we write for five minutes on a given prompt. This week's prompt is THIRTEEN. 

(Our group leader, Kate Motaung, chose this word because her oldest child was born thirteen years ago today in Capetown, South Africa.)

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When my youngest brother Errol was getting married to Alycia, they asked me to do a Scripture reading for the wedding ceremony.

I asked what they'd like me to read, and my brother said, "Maybe you could read that Corinthians 13 passage."

I said, "Oh, you mean FIRST Corinthians 13, the chapter on love? The one that starts like this...?"

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Or," I asked, "Do you perhaps mean SECOND Corinthians 13?"

FINAL WARNINGS. This will be my third visit to you. Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time.

 

 "Or," I went on, "Maybe you'd prefer REVELATION 13?"

THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA. The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads...

 

"First Corinthians 13 will be great."

There are actually other chapter 13's in the Bible that would be good for weddings, like

Hebrews 13: "Keep on loving one another..."

And others that aren't so great, like

Romans 13: "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities..." 

or  

Psalm 13: "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" 

So next time you're asked to read Scripture at a wedding (or any other gathering, for that matter), be sure to check ahead of time that it's the right passage. Otherwise you could get yourself in a lot of trouble!

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(On a related note, here's a post I wrote a few years back which includes a funny little story about the Scripture passage I read at my aunt's funeral.)