Learning to Love

1 Corinthians 13 is commonly known as the "love" chapter in the Bible. The KJV translators chose to use the word "charity" but the root word still means love. I prefer to read the passage inserting the word love where I see charity. I relate to love more easily than I relate to charity - though it is clear the words are interchangeable.

The first 3 verses of 1 Corinthians 13 reads: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, 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 love, 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 love, it profiteth me nothing."

This passage has been resonating in my soul for days. Every person who seeks to minister to others must take these verses to heart and determine to pepper all ministry with its message. As I work with the ladies at the mission I see that it does not matter how much of the Bible I know, how much I understand, how much faith I have or even the sacrifice that is made to work there...but the thing that will stand out and make a difference is if I can love them. This leads us to Jesus' supreme message...love the Lord your God with all your heart - AND love your neighbor as yourself.
To this God says to me, "Kim, you must invest your life into their lives...care about the things they care about...find out what matters to them and let it matter to you - Kim, determine to love them unconditionally." Submitting to this plea I have found a joy for ministry that I never knew was possible. I cannot wait to get to work, cannot wait to see them and find out what God has been doing in their lives. Every missionary, pastor, and Gospel laborer must strive to keep love at the heart of every message. God says anything less than love...is nothing.