Daniel 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
Without the fruit of Holy Spirit in our lives we are unable to follow the commands of God to love our neighbors and live in peace. We are able to love others because God first loved us and without His love behind our actions we are just making noise. We can serve God or man we choose whom we will serve. Choose life not death. Carla
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (NKJV)
Bestow all my goods likely pertains to the spiritual gift of giving to others (Romans 12:8). Paul uses an intentional exaggeration to illustrate the uselessness of each spiritual gift without love. The Corinthians would readily understand the images of sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. Many of them had used brass instruments and cymbals as standard elements of pagan worship in their lives before Christ. Love never fails. The NKJV Study Bible
The reference to tongues “of angels” probably indicates the belief that one type of “gift of tongues” involved speaking in the language of angels.
A genuine and selfless concern for the well-being of others Paul identifies as the greatest of the three Christian virtues (verse 13). Paul chastised the wealthy believers because they did not demonstrate love to the less wealthy believers (11:17–21).
People used cymbals to worship Dionysus, the god of wine. Paul mentions the crashing cymbal to suggest that spiritual gifts without love make the Corinthians’ worship no different from the pagans’.
Helping the poor was a focus of Paul’s ministry. Faithlife Study Bible
Matthew 17:20
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 21:21
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
Mark 11:23
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
1 Corinthians 12:8–10
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit…
1 Corinthians 13:8
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away
We can choose. This is an invitation to participate—and invest—in this life. To bring all that I am to the table of this moment.
To invest my heart.
To be a witness for integrity and justice.
To create space for healing and restitution.
To spill light where I can.
What Barbara Kingsolver calls a “conspiracy with life.”
Easy? No. Somedays, I feel very broken. Broken and dispirited. And I don’t have the words. And I don’t have the strength. Maybe you can relate.
So, how can we be a witness then? What possible difference can we make?
Well, this is interesting. You see, compassion (service and care) and healing (restoration) are not mutually exclusive. Because the light we share is born in those broken places. Which means that being a witness goes hand in glove with renewal.
In other words, we find replenishment and we choose to be a witness.
This is not a pep talk. This is not a test to pass. Or a list I check off for God’s thumbs up. This is permission; the invitation and the affirmation to be, and to live, wholeheartedly and kindheartedly, the truth of who I am.
Please know this my friends: it is from this self—the broken or wounded self—that compassion and kindness and tenderness and empathy and healing and reconciliation can flow. Sabbath Moments
“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.”
(St. Therese of Lisieux (“the Little Flower”).
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