Inspirational Insights: …and the greatest is love
1 Corinthians 13:7, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing”.
Love is “an intense feeling of deep affection”. Love is one of those words that’s thrown around quite a bit. Unfortunately, for some people, saying you love someone and the actions of those words just don’t seem to match up. Love is compassion, concern, unselfishness, and forgiveness, among others.
If we show love only to become popular or to gain something in return “it profits you nothing”. I admit that it’s difficult to convey love to some people. But the people we don’t love has a soul that needs deliverance from a cruel world. Their actions, sometimes, are what doesn’t deserve our love, only in the sense that we don’t condone their wrongful actions.
In searching for a cover for our church bulletin the other day, I came across a writing by a J. Raymond. I don’t know who he is (never heard of him) but his writing was quite interesting and thought provoking. It is as follows:
“You are not built to be ordinary, to exist under shelter, and remain in safe havens. Don’t concern yourself with popularity, or conform without reason. Believe wholeheartedly in certain ideals that matter to you, but also be brave enough to remain wide open.
You are meant to create, and recreate, and fail ten thousand times. You are meant to give everything you have to things and people that will turn on you. Burn, fly, dance, love and sing your song whether anyone accompanies you or not.
This world is as ugly as it is beautiful, and I beg you to keep moving and evolving. Grab hate and contempt by the collar and remind it that where you exist, so shall love. There’s room for nothing less in your presence. Where there is none, remember that you were meant to create, and recreate, and fail ten thousand times.
Tonight the sun will set and tomorrow, it and you, will rise again.”
The love of God (Agape love) is the highest form of love. It can never be matched by mankind. I don’t believe we, with our sinful nature, are equipped to even come close to His type of love. But we have a duty as a child of God to emulate His love to others as best we can.
We aren’t supposed to be silent and hide ourselves away. We are meant to go and tell the world about Him. It’s shouldn’t be about our personality to be celebrated, it should be about the celebration of the souls that are delivered out of darkness.
Yes, this world is ugly and in our attempt to tell others that they are loved…we may fail ten thousand times. But the world can also be beautiful and we may just accomplish our duty at our ten thousand and one attempt. Keep moving and evolving.
1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”.
And if it’s God’s will…we, and the sun, will rise again.
(Per request, this week our church will be praying for people along Airesman Road and Pelesky Road in the Boswell area. We ask that you remember them this week in your daily prayers. If you have any street requests for prayer please send them to me at the email below.)
(Nancy Stoppe of Jenners is affiliated with Jenner Township Baptist Church, Boswell. She can be contacted at stoppe123@comcast.net.)
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Nancy Stoppe column about love
