- Joined
- Feb 9, 2004
- Messages
- 17,081
The Greatest Love
What if I could stand up here and say the most wonderful things,
and sound impressive
and answer everyone's questions,
but I didn't love anyone - what would be the point?
What if we were the most incredible church
where every pew was filled
the preaching was always inspirational
we had a choir that always sang perfectly
and we served the best coffee in town
but no one felt love - what would be the point?
And if as a comunity we teach our children
lots of data and knowledge
and they can recite the books of the bible
and know all the right words
but they don't know how to love, we have failed them.
If we are thrilled to have a day off to honor the birth of a great man like
Martin Luther King
and yet we dont do anything to alleviate poverty
racial inequality, injustice and oppression
in this community, and in our workplaces - what have we gained?
If we put Mother Teresa on a pedestal
and highly respect her as a saint
admire her from a distance,
and yet we do not feed and clothe the hungry and naked
we do not care for the sick and the dying and
we do not provide basic health care to all our people
where is the honesty in that?
If we don't love....what's the point?
Love is...good!
Love is kind and patient
Love is trusting
if we remember that God's love triumphs in the end-
if we really believe that-
then we can trust God
we can dare to dream,
dare to live as God's people.
Love always wants what's best, even for the other guy.
Love cheers for both sides in the great football game of life,
and says, "Let's just have fun together, who cares who wins?"
Love is always supportive.
Love turns things around; takes hopeless situations and lets us see hope in them.
Love enables us to move mountains, break down walls, and plant flowers.
Love never, ever, ever ends.
We may even give up,
but God's love will continue.
And what is perfect will someday appear.
What is not perfect will disappear.
The world will turn and turn.
You know, when I was a small child,
I looked at the world with a child-like wonder:
I trusted; I dreamed; I wondered; I hoped.
Then I grew up. I became "practical."
I became cynical.
Now all I can understand about God's way
is what my grown-up mind will let me.
But when I allow my inner child to listen to God's voice
and to really live
I'm not scared anymore
I have a sense that things can work out
I know that one day, yet, I will see God face to face!
One day I will understand everything, just like God does now!
Won't that be incredible!!
But for now I don't need to do that.
I don't need to know everything
I don't need to understand everything.
I don't need answers to all of life's questions
I don't have to wait until I'm older, or wish I was younger
I don't need to wish I were taller or shorter
or even more good-looking.
I just have to try. Try and do what God wants of me.
To stop looking for excuses.
I simply have to remember that there are three things in life that really matter:
Faith, Hope, and Love, and the greatest of them is LOVE.
(shared by sister Newfie)
What if I could stand up here and say the most wonderful things,
and sound impressive
and answer everyone's questions,
but I didn't love anyone - what would be the point?
What if we were the most incredible church
where every pew was filled
the preaching was always inspirational
we had a choir that always sang perfectly
and we served the best coffee in town
but no one felt love - what would be the point?
And if as a comunity we teach our children
lots of data and knowledge
and they can recite the books of the bible
and know all the right words
but they don't know how to love, we have failed them.
If we are thrilled to have a day off to honor the birth of a great man like
Martin Luther King
and yet we dont do anything to alleviate poverty
racial inequality, injustice and oppression
in this community, and in our workplaces - what have we gained?
If we put Mother Teresa on a pedestal
and highly respect her as a saint
admire her from a distance,
and yet we do not feed and clothe the hungry and naked
we do not care for the sick and the dying and
we do not provide basic health care to all our people
where is the honesty in that?
If we don't love....what's the point?
Love is...good!
Love is kind and patient
Love is trusting
if we remember that God's love triumphs in the end-
if we really believe that-
then we can trust God
we can dare to dream,
dare to live as God's people.
Love always wants what's best, even for the other guy.
Love cheers for both sides in the great football game of life,
and says, "Let's just have fun together, who cares who wins?"
Love is always supportive.
Love turns things around; takes hopeless situations and lets us see hope in them.
Love enables us to move mountains, break down walls, and plant flowers.
Love never, ever, ever ends.
We may even give up,
but God's love will continue.
And what is perfect will someday appear.
What is not perfect will disappear.
The world will turn and turn.
You know, when I was a small child,
I looked at the world with a child-like wonder:
I trusted; I dreamed; I wondered; I hoped.
Then I grew up. I became "practical."
I became cynical.
Now all I can understand about God's way
is what my grown-up mind will let me.
But when I allow my inner child to listen to God's voice
and to really live
I'm not scared anymore
I have a sense that things can work out
I know that one day, yet, I will see God face to face!
One day I will understand everything, just like God does now!
Won't that be incredible!!
But for now I don't need to do that.
I don't need to know everything
I don't need to understand everything.
I don't need answers to all of life's questions
I don't have to wait until I'm older, or wish I was younger
I don't need to wish I were taller or shorter
or even more good-looking.
I just have to try. Try and do what God wants of me.
To stop looking for excuses.
I simply have to remember that there are three things in life that really matter:
Faith, Hope, and Love, and the greatest of them is LOVE.
(shared by sister Newfie)
