Faith. Hope. Love.

Today I am choosing these.

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have 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 do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

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

 

Faith

My God is NOT dead! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

 

Hope

I have a hope for the future my God has planned for me and my descendants.

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord…

 

I also have a hope in change. Maybe with this drastic change in our government it will be a wake up call to us all. We did not get to this place overnight and it won’t change for the better or worse overnight either. So maybe, just maybe I will hope that the change for the better just might be round the corner.

Finally there is…

 

Love

Galatians 5:13-15

13 My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love. 14 The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”[b] 15 If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.

 

The Golden Rule as I was taught…treat others how you would like to be treated. Imagine if we all did this. What would our world be? But let’s take it further.

Galatians 5:22-26

22 But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. 25 We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. 26 We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other.

 

Love is a choice not a feeling/emotion. It does not promise easy or rosy. If we continue to choose love it does get better.

If I choose love it is much easier to have joy.

If I choose more joy it is much easier to be at peace.

If I choose to walk in peace it is much easier for me to be patient.

If I choose patience than I can be a kinder person.

If I can show kindness I can begin to see more goodness.

If I choose to see goodness my faith will rise.

If I choose faithfulness then gentleness will follow.

If I choose gentleness it is much easier to control myself.

It all starts with me choosing to love.

 

There are none of us spotless nor blameless in this mess our nation is in. It boils down to years of choices. Those choices have either been rooted in love or fear. Currently fear has been winning. However, I want to choose love. Do you? Will you?

 

One more thing, read the entire chapter but here is a standout.

Proverbs 18:21

21 What you say can mean life or death.
    Those who speak with care will be rewarded.

Our words matter. Are you speaking life or death? You hold the power of change.