Paul finishes his list by saying that love never fails. Now he could mean that love does not disappoint. If we love, our relationships will go well. There is a certain extent to which that is true. If two beings in a relationship love perfectly, their relationship will not fail The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have such a relationship. However, many relationships do fail, not because love fails, but because people lack love in their relationships, those relationships do not meet their full potential. However, there is another meaning to this passage as well.

In the rest of verse eight, Paul talks about the other gifts that he has been discussing in chapter twelve. All of those gifts will pass away or will cease, but love will continue. This is part of what it means that love does not fail. There will come times, and at some point it will be permanent, that these other gifts will not be of any value to us. There are times when they are not used and are not helpful. Love always should be used, and always can be used. Even when we are transformed from this life into the next, we will still love. Love is never wasted

Finally, true love is not conditional. We do not stop loving someone because we no longer wish to be kind, or that we no longer wish to bear their weaknesses. Love is offered by us continually, both to our Lord and to those around us. It does not quit when it is needed most. Instead it will be there in the hardest of times.