Praying for his peace, I began to speak the love chapter over him. 1 Corinthians 13. I had memorized it when Draes was born. My post-partum had been so bad with Dax - and I feared it would be again - I committed to recite the love chapter at each late-night feeding, during the screaming and sleeplessness of those first weeks. I did it to keep my mind focused on the purpose and not the fear.
Tonight as I was speaking God's word over my 3rd baby, and thinking about this, the love month :), my heart zeroed in on the first 3 verses.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Cor. 13:1-3
It doesn't matter how much we know, how well we can sing, how we dress, what we think, how much charity or mission work we do. If we don't LOVE - and not just pat you on the head love, but gut wrenching tears, wake-me-up-at-night-to-pray, very-heart-of-God love - God's not impressed. And it can only come from Him. We don't have the stuff to create within ourselves a perfect, selfless love for others - only Jesus can give us His Agape. Do we LOVE people? Or do we just like to tell them what to do? Do we LOVE people? Or do we simply like to point out their wrongs and show them how smart we are?
One of the toughest things to do is speak the TRUTH in LOVE.
I love the phrase "truth without love is a hammer."
Next time we want to hammer someone :) Let's try asking for His Agape - because He'll give it to us. Jesus said all the law and the prophets were summed up in loving God with everything and loving others as ourselves. He wants us to succeed!
It takes patience - that's for sure. Maybe we could memorize the love chapter while we wait :).
