If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not
have love,
I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift
of prophecy and know all mysteries, all knowledge,
if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not
have love, I am nothing.
If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do
have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous.
Love does not brag and is not arrogant.
It does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own.
Love does not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.
It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
It is not jealous.
Love does not brag and is not arrogant.
It does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own.
Love does not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.
It does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:
1-8 (paraphrase, my own)
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Grading one of my 8th
grader’s written work, I pause as I reread her sentence. Her efforts touch my heart as her growing
knowledge of living out faith emerges. Knowing
she and I are working on a similar ministry project I decide to save the
conversation for another time. However,
she’s anxiously awaiting feedback and noticing my pensive look she states in
her rapid speech, “What? I didn’t use
the word correctly?” Smiling, I answer
her, “Grammatically? No. Conceptually? I absolutely understood what
you meant! We will talk about it
later.” Grinning, she returned to her
desk. It was clear she was proud of her
work and she should be as she begins to experience the spiritual meaning of the
word.
In this generation, “charities”
abound. A person of any age can save any
species of animal, insect (preferably butterflies), atmosphere, or land mass
and take up a fight to end an endless list of disorders and diseases. People are moved to bring relief for disasters,
famine or war. While all these are
admirable causes to take on, what generates the passion to advocate for these
organizations? Mankind has become
extremely self-confident in his or her own ability to make things happen
through knowledge, fame or finances. Prestige,
ambition and honor replace service and humility. Glory, no longer lifted to God, is bestowed
on the have’s in their self proclaimed superiority as they improve upon the inferior
have not’s. English lexicons define
charity as an organization or volunteer giving, typically monetary, to help
those in need. It also is described as
having a kindness and tolerance in judging others.
The bible clearly defines charity
not only as love, but outlines the evidence of such love. A strong inference can be made implying if
the passion that motivates you to act and respond as you do is not a result of
love within you, those efforts are empty.
People can be intelligent and knowledgeable educating society, generous
with finances or work to eradicate the most deadly diseases, but if the motive
is not generated by love, it is just another worthy cause because charity is
not what a person does, it is the fervor behind how a person lives out his or
her life.
Love, more than a strong feeling of
affection originates from the author and finisher of our faith. It emanates from God who desires for all His
creation to live within such a wondrous love.
The very essence of our character, nature of emotional responses and how
we conduct ourselves clearly define a choice of what reigns in our hearts. Love seeks out to find the best when a person
behaves at his or her worst. Love
forgives hurts that run through the inner recesses of our being. Love rejoices over the blessings of others
although we ourselves continue to struggle.
Most importantly, love resonates a compassion and mercy that otherwise
would deem impossible.
Later that day, I brought up to my
student her sentence using the vocabulary word “charity”. The conversation went something like this:
Me: “I was thinking about your sentence. What is charity?”
Student: “Charity?
Well, charity is what we are doing for poor children. We are giving gifts for Christmas, shoebox
presents.”
Me: “Is it anything else?”
Student: “It’s a donation. You want to give it.”
Me: “Why?”
Student: “Why?
Because we love God and we love the children!”
Me: “Exactly! We do this because of the charity, the love
in our hearts.”
Student: “Charity and love are the same?”
Me: “Yep. The bible teaches us that charity, the love in our hearts is how we
are to live.”
are to live.”
Charity, in Greek, “agape”, in its
best depiction is an unsurpassed love, a reflection of how Christ loves, moving
us far beyond what we could humanly achieve in and of ourselves. Charity as an act of benevolence has limits,
charity as an expression generated from Godly love, knows no bounds. It reaches deep, it spreads wide. It frees captives bound in prisons of his or
her making. It is tolerant and respectful. It extends grace, walks in patience and
understanding, is unselfish and a reciprocal act between God and man, extended
to others. St. Augustine wrote "Charity is a virtue which, when our affections are perfectly ordered, unites us to God, for by it we love Him." Our love
towards God therefore allows us to truly love others.
A small group of us packed 15
Christmas shoebox gifts last Saturday. I
know of other shoeboxes that were packed throughout the last few weeks by
individual families as an introduction to their children on showing God’s love
to other people. It is a marvelous thing
to put meaning behind giving, to give substance and eternal purpose to simple acts of
kindness. Millions of shoeboxes will be
delivered across the globe to grateful children, toddler to
teen. However, the greatest joy will not
be the presents filling the shoeboxes, but the Godly love expressed in the
giving. Love is the real gift and it
will be etched inside hearts for a lifetime.
PRAY,
CONSIDER, RECEIVE, SHARE
Please PRAY
for the children who will be receiving Christmas shoebox gifts this season. Pray that while the gifts bring a window of hope and joy to young lives struggling with persecution, famine, war and diseases the recipients of the shoebox gifts sense God's unconditional love for them. All the children who receive Christmas shoeboxes will be invited to participate in the The Greatest Journey, a bible study introducing the love of Christ to them. Pray that they are able to hear the message of His plan of reconciliation of His creation back to Him through Jesus Christ. Pray for the volunteers whom have been working all year processing shoebox gifts and will gather at the processing center in the upcoming weeks to prepare the boxes for shipping. Lift up all those who will travel to and/or serve in over 65 countries delivering Christmas shoebox gifts and ministering to children that they remain safe, especially in the areas experiencing hostility towards followers of Christ. The Lord has designated each gift for a special child, may it be a blessing to each and every one!
Please CONSIDER giving, through donations or volunteer service,
to Samaritan's Purse or any other faith based ministry living out the Great Commission to spread the gospel that Jesus is Lord. No person is "called" to share their faith. Believer's are commanded by Christ to share the message of hope in Him to all people.RECEIVE the Lord's eternal blessing for your partnership in whichever manner He guides you in.
Please SHARE this blog with anyone you know who is interested in supporting and/or partnering in missions work, locally or globally.
The message of God's gift of His Son Jesus, to be focal this holiday season
Provision and shelter for children surviving in the midst of war
Children whose parents are incarcerated or unable to provide for them
Recipients of Christmas shoebox gifts
Continue to pray for the ministries of Samaritan's Heart, Vive Talamanca, Pearl Process and the La Carpio church in San Jose, Costa Rica
To donate OM Costa Rica or a partner ministry of OM Costa Rica (English) -
Note: In the additional information comment box type: “Donation for OM Costa Rica field #14500, specify the missionary, ministry project or sponsor a child/teen
