Friday Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:3-7
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:3
3 And though I give out all my goods to feed the poor, and though I deliver my body to be burned, and have not love, I am profited nothing.
Devotion:
When you read these few verses, change the word charity to love and read again... No matter what we do in our lives, not matter how much good we think we are able to do, if we are doing it without love then we are doing it for nothing! Yes people will have things and be able to do things because of what we have done for them but it will be a meaningless hollow thing that we do. If we want to be able to understand what it is all about then we have to first experience the love of God and then apply that love in our lives.
These verses talk about the properties of love so that we can be helped to identify what we experience so see if we do love or whether we are resting on lust. If our love fails these steps and properties then we have to question whether it is love or not. It is not a case of us changing our ways to match in with these properties but rather looking at our relationship and seeing if it matches them. They are not a goal to aim for but rather a goal that should already be reached through our relationship.
Christ gave us the ultimate example of love through living His life and then giving it willingly on the cross. We do not have to do that because nobody should ever call us to do that, but are we willing to? Love means being willing to do things and not to back down because we think that others are seeking something or because we think there are other motives. Love does not brag about itself nor lift itself above anything. Love is honest and decent. Love knows that things are sure and dependable. Love lives up to the truth and hides away the mistakes. Love is unique and absolutely pure. Stop pretending things are love and live with the truth! Stop pretending that things will be and live with the truth! Love is what Christ showed us...
Points to Ponder:
How do you match up?
Do you know God’s full love?
