About a month ago I picked up a counted cross stitch kit while out shopping and began working on it. I thought it would be something fun to revisit as the weather cools off, plus as it is a great passtime. The kit I selected is based upon 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13 to be specific; It is based on the message from the Apostle Paul to the people of Corin. It has provided me with a wonderful opportunity to truly focus on Paul’s words. Although these verses are most frequently associated with wedding vows, Pauls thoughts were far from weddings or ceremonial vows, It was Paul’s intent, to teach the people of Corin how to treat one another...with charity or love.
Charity is defined as goodwill, compassion, consideration, concern, kindness, kindheartedness, tenderness, tenderheartedness, sympathy, indulgence, tolerance, leniency, and caritas which is Latin for Christian love of human kind, ‘charity’
In todays world when we hear the word charity, many people clutch their wallets tightly as their brains immediately go to those whom request, ask for or beg for money. This includes the poor, broken, unfortunate, helpless, diseased, aborted, beaten, abused and on and on.
The true meaning as well as the joy that comes in the giving is eluded, the very last thing on many peoples minds. Charity is in fact, the voluntary giving of help, and isn’t that what we all deeply desire from the people in our lives? Not only from our families, significant others, children and friends, but a generous flow of kindness from people in general.
Although I am uncertain which Bible version my cross stich used, I have chosen to use the King James; where the Apostle Paul refered to love as ‘charity’ in his original writings and the Message, which is quite contemporary and has a lovely and interesting view and flow.
The Way of Love.
Though I speak with human eloquence; the tongue of men and angelic ecstasy, but have not ‘charity, I am as sounding brass or a tingling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy (I speak Gods words with power, revealing his mysteries and knowledge) and though I have faith that I can say to a mountain, “move” and it moves, without charity (love), I am nothing. If I give everything I own to help the poor, and even give my body to be burned at the stake like a martyr, if I don’t love, it has been of no profit to me. So no matter what I say, what I believe and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Charity suffereth long (never gives up), is always kind (never me first) nor does it want what it does not have (never jealous) Charity never behaves irritably (flys off the handle) It doesn’t ever keep score, it puts up with everything, (endures all things). Is always honest (speaks truth in all things) and fair, (never rejoicing in wrong but always rejoicing in right) Love Trusts God Always and Always looks for the best and never looks back but keeps on going to the end (love never ends)
A good excercise that only takes a few minutes is to read this again and replace the words love or charity with “I” See how that feels. God will test your heart, (he’s really good at that) and it will serve as a good starting place for all of us when we ask God to help us be more like him.
Keep Paul’s words close to your heart, not only as we enter the season of holidays and gift giving, but throughout the year.
Blessings for a truly wonderful Holiday Season.
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