03.04.07
True Love
“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 have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
Paul (1 Chorinthians 13:2-7, NIV)
In relation to Paul’s comments, here are some questions to think about:
* How can we cultivate this patient, kind, humble and generous love for each other and all beings?
* Some Christians feel it is wrong for people to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Can a person truly love a LGBT person while asking them to live a lie, and deny their God-given desire to be a part of a fulfilling relationship?
* Many people claim to “love” animals, while continuing to eat them when tasty and nutritious plant foods exist. Can a person both “love” animals in the way Paul defines love, and still eat them?
Feel free to post responses to any or all of these questions.
This text was written in 2007 by Freeman Wicklund of FreemanWicklund.org, and it may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any e-zine, e-mail, newsletter or blog as long as this sentence and Web link are included.