Fragmented and dysfunctional relationships appear to be increasing in our society or at a minimum are more readily magnified through social technology and spontaneous media.
The Bible says one thing never fails to mend fragments into functional and even flourishing relationships - that one thing is love - not love loosely defined but love defined unconditionally.
The best opportunity for all people to share genuine relational fellowship - is to respect the moral law of love modeled in the person of Jesus Christ - His love always exemplifies that which is true, right, and best.
I encourage you to take a moment to read the passage below - pause and spend some time in prayer - understand anew that our faith and hope in God must be great to experience restoration of civility and right relationships in our culture.
Most importantly understand that God is love - realize afresh that His love is greater than even our hope and faith in Him - His love for humanity never fails to save, strengthen, and fully sustain humanity.
May we turn to Him - may the love modeled in Christ Jesus be evident in each of us and may the world know we are Christians by our love - the love of Jesus working through us to enrich relationships.
God's Peace,
Jeff
1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)
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. 2 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. 3 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.
8 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. 9 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.
Two things struck me when reading and considering this passage.
ReplyDeleteFirst, this is intentional, committed love, and not an emotion that can fade or change.
Second, this is not a human love. This is God's love, being worked out through people.
It is up to us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to choose to move our imperfect selves out of the way and let God's perfect love shine through.