"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake 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 through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." I Corinthians 13
Good morning Brothas and Sistas.
Some might argue that it is always good to be the one who is right at the end of every disagreement but I would argue that it is better to make sure the end result of every disagreement is that both parties walk away from it knowing that no matter occurs the end result is love. Being right or having the need to be right does not help a friend, co worker, spouse or family member feel better about themselves but showing them unconditional love when they are angry, hurt or broken will.
In a recent conversation with a friend who was very distraught over a relationship she ended, she stated how right I was when I warned her about the relationship. I felt her pain and realized that it was not a time to capitalize on how right I had been when ministering to her about the relationship. The goal was to make sure she felt Christ love funneling through me to reach her. I needed to make sure my words brought healing, not condemnation.
As my friend and I talked we began to realize that the realtionship was a set up. The enemy had placed that young man in her life to take her out of the will of God. We began to seek God's word and find ways to stragegize and pray so that God could give her a way of escape. She felt better and left the conversation with feeling hopeful instead of hopeless.
Brothas and Sistas, many of our Christian friends and family feel condemned enough by the enemy. He is beating down on them and sentencing them for a crime Jesus has already paid the penalty for. They don't need double condemnation coming from us, they need love. Choose love over being right!
" What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." Augustine
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