Love: The Greatest of AllSample

We Gain Nothing Without Love

“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”

-1 Corinthians 13:3 NLT

God wants us to be generous. I love being able to bless other people. When you see someone returning groceries because they can only spend so much money, it’s an act of love to say, “please put those items on my bill.” I hate seeing people go without, so I will do what I can when I can, and I am sure you want to as well.

I know plenty of other people who do the same thing. I started doing it after I heard my pastor speak about it. God also says that He blesses those who are generous (Proverbs 22:9 NLT)! That is a good act, but we won’t gain anything without love.

Motives Matter

Love is a matter of the heart first, and then actions come from a spirit of love. Faith without works is dead, but faith is the first part of that statement. Love and faith are both matters of the heart, so our actions must come from the heart to matter.

We have all met someone who has done things for the wrong motives. We have all been that person who has done something for the wrong reasons.

The Same Action Can Have Different Motives

Imagine if, after I paid for someone’s groceries, I yelled about it from the middle of the store; That is not love. That is being done so I can tell everyone how “generous” I am. Also, the person would be embarrassed. It would mean nothing.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t tell anyone. I started doing it because I heard my pastor say she does it. She said it in front of an entire church during a sermon.

Technically, that is the same thing as if I would yell in a grocery store. However, the heart behind both actions is different. The heart of love makes the difference. The actions were not the same in both cases because the heart behind it wasn’t pure. No number of actions can cover up the missing ingredient of love. It is not the same.

So today, be generous, but do it from a place of love. Don’t be a blessing to get a blessing; be a blessing to show love to others.

Confession Today

“I will be generous with the right heart. I will not give to get; I will give so that others will receive. The love in my heart matters, and I will let my actions come from a heart of love and not a place of selfishness.”