Love rules

1 Corinthians 13

Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 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. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

What does all this mean

We all can say God answered all or some of our many prayers , so we have exercised faith to some measure - maybe not to the extent of moving mountains - and who on earth wants mountains moved - and then faith to move mountains requires at least two people (minimum) (it is similar to moving other things ) case in point 1): if two or three are gathered in my name or ask in my name I will be present or answer them , The Mighty one says 2) classical example of Abraham( the man to head future civilizations ) had faith to obey God - not faith in his own prayer requests but in what God had asked him to do by faith. True God grants the desires of our heart but thank God only if it is to our future good.3) on another healing occasion Jesus says anything is possible if you believe - which is again two people - Jesus(God) and that person.It was agreed upon by Jesus that the healing would occur - it was not how much faith the man had but if he had faith in Jesus (GOd) if He agreed to do it He would do it. This seems very reasonable because even for earthly matters if I say to my students I will give you what is necessary ,believe me - it is no point to give if one does not believe in me -

The next is hope - for what -things not yet seen .. one would expect something like this at the end of our spiritual journey when all our earthly moorings are left behind or gone for something far more valuable ..

But imagine Paul says of more value than this is love....not Gods will or trusting God for the unseen but Love

All this brings me to the point :My brother is planning to take a team of Canadians to Allahabad next February. I hope the spirit of love truimphs in all this. He may not have a posh way of speaking or a sophisticated eloquence but his heart beats for God..He is simple man who has achieved great things. He has struggled and toiled to bring good things to his family .He, like all of us , due to our southern upbringing do not believe in ourselves despite studiously working towards good professional goals .Wegrew up in Mumbai but all of us could not statewhat our favorite or for that matter the things we liked were..it was only when we went abroad that we could slowly state what we liked..

My brother is an expert in the Textile field and he has invested a lot in his family and ministries and I hope that his life's heart beat to bring the Gospel to the man on the street is fulfilled . He is a man who can empathisize well with the both the sophisticated and the common man simultaneuosly. He can converse with both with equal ease.I hope his spirit of mission is not crushed and he is showered with love. Like Jesus was showered with love in Mary and Marthas home . It was a safe place for him to do His mission.The qst of whether Mary or Martha had chosen the greater part has always been taken to mean that Mary had taken the better part ..to listen to Jesus..which is true but I dont think Jesus was belitting Martha's role -- maybe if Martha had listened to Jesus she would have held the physical and spiritual aspect of our lives in balance. But I think the reason why Jesus did not commend Martha's role in kitchen is because she was complaining about Mary - Mary did not on the other hand complain about Martha.

The other thing is also that in John 11 after the death of Lazarus Martha tells Jesus if you were here this would not have happened (she definitely believed in Jesus miracles)... but then she says she knows in the resurrection Lazarus will rise again ..I think till that time she was a women of prayer and who believed that Jesus was a man of God who could heal and cure people...it is in latter verses when Jesus tells her He indeed is the resurrection and life and asks her whether she believes that -- she replies Yes (that is when she signs the dotted line)..and goes to tell Mary ,the Teacher is here!!!! Prayer and faith go a long way . Praise be to God..