Love

A wonderful post from Joy Shaver, disciple of Christ and active member of our church's prayer ministry.

This was written for "affirmation Sunday," a time of encouragement for our leaders, and will be used at our next Church Council meeting.

What great writing! Joy, I'm proud of you! Grace & Peace, Adam

I Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy going or a clanging cymbal.

If I know all the words to all of the songs the Praise Band plays, but have not love, I am only a loud and off key singer.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge such as how we're going to afford everything we need and the answers to all the other budgetary questions, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains trusting that the monies will be there to cover the budget as well as unexpected expenditures, but have not love, I am still nothing.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

If I tithe 20% of my income, work at The Pantry, serve on three committees, volunteer to feed the youth and pray for turkeys (Thanksgiving mission outreach) but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful;

Love is patient and kind even when you prepare the most exciting programs and trainings and nobody shows up. Love is not jealous or boastful, even when you think that you give more time than anybody else in your church.

It is not arrogant or rude. Love keeps no record of wrongs; it is not irritable or resentful;

Love is not arrogant or rude; it keeps no record of wrongs even when you have 8 meetings at church, you are the greeter at both services for a month, and you also bring snacks for the Women of SOTH meeting. Oh...did I mention that we need you to call people for the Listening Sessions?

It does not rejoice at wrongs, but rejoices in the right.

Love does not rejoice when Adam has to be at the hospital with one of our church family because they're sick or hurt, but does rejoice that we have a prayer team and a bunch of members in our church who are ready to love and support, and cover anything that needs to be covered.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things, even a yard sale in the rain or a dunking booth for a cancer drive, and unloading what feels like thousands of dirty pumpkins (Adam's note: that's because it is thousands of dirty pumpkins, and they're coming October 10th ;)

Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Love never ends, but after worship, SOTH families will go home or to Kroger or to Golden Corral. The band will pack up their instruments and rest their voices. Adam will finally get to spend some time with his family.

For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.

For our church is imperfect, and our discipleship, ministries, and leadership skills are imperfect (hate to say it, but it's true). But when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

When I was a youth, I spoke like a youth, I thought like a youth, I reasoned like a youth (can you reason with a 13 year old?). When I got confirmed, I gave up childish ways (hmmm, not really!).

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.

For now we see as if we have just shared in Adam's sermon, been in prayer, sung our hearts out and greeted everyone we know and love but soon we will see so much more clearly. Now we know a little, and then will more clearly understand even as we have been clearly understood.

So faith, hope love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Amen!