The greatest of these is love!

Paul showed an amazing understanding of Our Lord's intent. God inspired him to write about many subjects that directly strengthen us and our faith. The following is from a letter of Paul's to the people of Corinth. I am quoting from the New Living Translation because I feel it better conveys the original meaning.

..."If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn't love others, I would be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.
...Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
...Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages will all disappear. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes, those special gifts will all disappear.
...Its like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.
...There are three things that will endure - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13) nlt

Amazing, isn't it? Every last thing we hold to be important in this life is useless without love.

"What kind of love?" you may be wondering. Jesus expressed it like this... "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. I assure you, anyone who doesn't have their kind of faith will never get into the kingdom of God." (Mark 16b-17) nlt Is this, in any way, contradictory to what Paul says? Not at all! He is saying we should stop behaving like spoiled children. Put away the "gimme, gimme, gimme," and the selfish, self-centeredness, but never lose the simple love!

Love with the innocence of a child, and with the same kind of trust. Learn from your kids. They trust you to take care of them. Trust God the same way. He is Our Father!

"...and the greatest of these is love."

Every One a Child of God

If you have, or have had, children, I ask you to think back to the time when you first held your precious baby in your hands. Do you remember the lumps in your throat, the tears in your eyes, or even the amazement you experienced that God had entrusted such a precious child to you?

I am a father, and I remember these feelings well. When I held my first born, I was terrified that I might drop him. I was afraid to do more than support him with my hands, so sure was I that hands, like mine, toughened by years of hard work, might just accidentally cause bruises, in one so tender.

Love for your children, and joy in their existence, go hand in hand. It is natural, and it is an amazing gift from God.

I have always loved kids, all of them. Some are easier to love, some require getting past obstacles they've inherited. Some have learned to not trust others, and this makes getting to know them very difficult. But, all of them, every one, is a child of God.

It isn't just the kids, either. We are all children of God's. Every one, no matter the age, is still a child of God. Look around you... Can you see the baby that an older person was? God can! That is one of the reasons we are supposed to continually remind others of God's love. He wants those who've strayed from His flock to find their way back to His love!

I have been very blessed. God has arranged things so that I seem to be able to reach most kids at whatever level they operate on. I listen to what they have to say, try to explain things in a way they can understand, and do not expect them to always be perfect. As a result, I have been "adopted" by a number of kids. I have been an (adopted) uncle, a grandpa, and very recently, a best friend (to a 4-year old!). There is an emotional overload to this "adoption" that cannot be described accurately. I am constantly in awe that God has given this gift to me.

You see, I am not perfect, either. I am very aware of my faults, and know that there is not one thing I could ever do to pay Him back adequately for this incredible gift, so I just end up loving kids all the more, and thanking God constantly.

Thank-you so much, God!

Please remember that God loves all kids; those who are just born, those who've entered their "terrible twos," teenagers, the elderly, and those not yet born. All are God's children. He loves everyone. He sent His Son to die for every single one. He want them all to come to His arms of love.

You...

me...

the unborn...

mobsters...

terrorists...

the handicapped...

Yes, even politicians!

Everybody is God's child! Some just need to be told or reminded.

Spread the love!