Love

Love
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 neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Today is Valentines day. Here in Canada while not an official holiday, lovers exchange gifts most often of chocolate or other sentimental things that make their lover feel good.
Unfortunately all too often people associate love with a physical act or some feel good emotion. When the act is completed or the emotion ends so it seems dose their love.
True love however transcends any physical act or emotion.
The apostle Paul defined what true love is when he wrote,

“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....” 

                                                1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.

Is this the kind of love you show to others?
Please think about it.

Love

Love
The Apostle Paul writes,

“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 apostle Paul here is writing to Christians but what he is saying about true love is universal in nature. On does not need to be a Christian to understand and accept the truth Paul defines here.
Martin Luther King jr. the great civil rights leader in the United States said,
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
                                                                                           Martin Luther King, Jr.
Anne Frank a young Jewish girl in hiding from the Nazis in the Netherlands during world war two wrote,
“Give of yourself, give as much as you can?  And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!  If everyone were to do this and not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world.  Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.  Give, give again and again, don’t lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!  No one has ever become poor from giving!” Anne Frank.
What Anne Frank said is true. We need to give of ourselves. For in doing so we are showing love and true love can indeed change the world.
Please think about it.

If I have not Love

If I have not love.

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 suffers long and is kind:

love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely,

does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil,

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth,

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

But whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we

prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.  When I was a child, I spoke as a child.  I understood as a child, I

thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  

Now I know in part,

but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; 

but the greatest of these

is love.

                                                                         1 Corinthians Chapter 13
I once had a boss who was perhaps one of the most disliked men I’ve ever met. When he died I believe in his late fifties early sixties, no one he worked with attended his funeral, he was that disliked.
For me I didn’t mind the man. He was rough around the edges. Still he did his job the way he thought was best and I can honestly say he treated me fairly. If he didn’t like my work he told me so in no uncertain terms.
Still many who worked with him considered him a man who lacked in love and compassion. Thus they shunned him.
Above I quoted from the apostle Paul. What Paul is saying in a nutshell is, we can be the best educated, the most eloquent of speech, most faithful, even the most generous person, but if we don’t have Love we are nothing.
We are remembered for our actions in life and love and hate are the two most remembered actions. Hitler is remembered for his hate. Jesus by contrast is remembered for his love and because of that Love his followers continue to grow daily around the world.
Jesus accomplished with Love what all the emperors of the world failed to do, have a following that reaches into every part of the world.
Napoleon said of Jesus,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
                                                                                                                            Napoleon  
Jesus showed all people everywhere how we are to live. 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 neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 
                                                                                   Matthew 22:36-40.
He also said,
“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.
Martin Luther King jr. said,
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.”
                                                                                            Martin Luther King, Jr.
He was correct.
So the question I have for you is: Do you show love to all people?
Do people see the love in you?
Please think about it.