As I was praying about what I should write for this week to tie in with my sermon, “Love in Action,” I recalled the funeral I took at my last church of a member of our congregation. As I stood greeting people on the day of his funeral, I found my eyes brimming over with tears. Strange as it might seem, they were not tears of sadness but rather tears of joy and wonder that, among the many mourners, there was such a large number of people from our church. I realized that I was actually overcome by their love for Warren who, mentally disabled from birth, due to a medical misadventure, was not like the rest of us.
Warren’s whole life had been one of struggle. A faithful attendee, he nevertheless, at times, had been the recipient of intolerant criticism from our own church members. However, I believe this man was a gift to this world and certainly to our church: an incredible gift that taught us about love; not love as the world defines it, but love as defined in scripture, love as defined in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians; God’s love.
I am convinced that love, in God’s language, is a verb, a doing word. We are charged to put love into action; not just on Sunday; not just when we feel like it; not just to people we are drawn to, but to those we come into contact with throughout our daily lives, whether they are like us or not. I don’t know about you, but for me I was certainly lead to Christ through the love and action of others!
The challenge then for us, I believe, is to read and meditate on 1 Corinthians 13 :4-7 during the coming week and to ask God’s Spirit to reveal the areas where we fall short, where our love for others is wanting, in order that, with God’s help, our lives might truthfully display love in action; that we might display Christ’s love in the world.
Yours in Christ,
Jinny.
