What does a rusty old gate make you think of? I think of annoying, good for nothing, useless, irritating, hurts my ears - unless of course someone fixes it.
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 1Corinthians 13:1 The Message
If I don't love others, or show my love, I am annoying, good for nothing, useless, irritating, and hurt people's ears. What a wake up call! The Bible teaches us a lot about how to love, but 1Corinthians 13 makes it simple. Simple to understand, not always simple to do. I particularly like how The Message words 13:3-7.
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
I want to be a squeaky clean gate, so I better start showing the love!
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