Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
The Greatest Gift
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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. 3 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.

A few weeks ago, I asked God to give me motivation, something to drive me to do what I do. Honestly, I had grown quite tired. Work, tuition, Zone G services, CGs, weekend services...all these things pack up my week back to back (where has all my alone time gone to?!). For those of you who know me personally, talking to people or simply being around people is something I find extremely tiring (so G30, now you know…hahaha). I guess I am the person Paul is talking to when he addressed the Corinthian Church, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit but have not love.

Well, we all know that God answers prayers.

Last week, I met up with some of my council juniors from secondary school. Though I was pretty fierce with them, or so I hear, I love them all like my little sisters, my little darlings. I would never have let anything happen to them if I could help it. So you can imagine the shock I went through when I heard what one of my juniors had to go through in her life, right under my nose, while I was still council head. My heart shattered into pieces right there and then. The guilt that followed after that was even more unbearable. I thought to myself, how could I not have known this? Would things have been different if I had bothered more, if I had made a more conscious effort to find out about her life and love her?

With her story ringing in my head, I stood, absolutely disgusted with myself, knowing that it wasn’t my fault she had to go through all this, but it was mine that it could have been avoided, if only I bothered to love.

At that moment, I found the motivation I was praying for. There are so many people around me, each with their own story, their own hurts and struggles, each looking for a way out, looking for some meaning in all this. I can choose to stay in my own comfort zone, to be oblivious to the people in my world, or I can open up my heart, go into their lives and love them, just like what Jesus has done for me. For many of us Christians, it is only too easy to receive Jesus into our lives and then forget about everyone else around us. I mean, it doesn’t matter if the rest don’t know Jesus, it’s up to them after all, it’s none of my business, I have too much to do, with so little time. Is that what it is? If we believe so much in salvation, if we believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, that He is the only way to the Father, then why do we not bother to love those around us and let them know about Him?

During the Zone G ‘I Love’ series, Garrett preached about loving our generation. Let me tell you something, love isn’t all that lovey-dovey, mushy nonsense, fluffy pink hearts and balloons and Godiva chocolates and bouquets of red roses. Love, among many other things, being others-centred, showing them that we care, that He cares.

On that same note, let’s not be freaky Christians okay. While I was opening the mail that comes into the office, I found a package containing a box of chocolates in the shape of ducks, peeling and crumbling, with flyers to a church event. My first thought, no wonder people think Christians are freaky. Please don’t go around yelling about how the world is coming to an end and all those who are not saved will burn in hell. People don’t care how much you know, or what you know, until they know how much you care.

The wise, rich and powerful may change the world, but those who love touch the hearts of man.