Love

Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast,

 it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,

 it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,

 always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  

                                                                                              1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13

The above is a quote from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. It to my mind is the purest definition of love ever written. It defines love perfectly.
I believe we as Christians need to look at this definition weekly if not daily. We need to write these words on our heart. Commit them to memory.
But above all we need to practice what they are saying.
Notice there is no conditions set on the love Paul writes about. No “buts”
When Jesus calls us to Love God, our neighbour and our enemy this is the kind of love he wishes us to have.
This is what being a Christian is all about. It’s not about “I have my rights!” or “you are wrong and I am right!”
It’s about humility and understanding.
Love is a door we open even to our enemy. It is the highest idea of Christianity spoken of by Jesus himself in John 3:16,17
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
In Matthew Jesus is quotes as saying
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”  
                                                                     Matthew 5:43.44.
Jesus when asked,
 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment.  
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                                              Matthew 22:37-40.
All too often we Christians fail to show love. We judge those we disagree with or say disparaging things without thinking. We fail to watch what we say. Fail to realize
that our words can hurt.
Long before I became a Christian I watched a movie called “Good by Mr. Chips.” the theme song for the musical version was called Fill the World with Love it had these words,

In the Morning of My Life

In the morning of my life

I will look to the Sunrise

At a moment in my life 

When the world is new.

And the Question

I shall ask only God can answer.

Will I be brave and strong and true,

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

In the evening of my life

I will look to the sunset

At a moment in my life 

When my life is through.

And the question I shall ask only I can answer 

Was I brave and strong and true.

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

                                                                                         From the Musical Good by Mr Chips

  At the end of your life will people say of you that you filled the world with Love?
Will God?
Please think about it.