Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14
On my right shoulder, I have a tattoo that has the names of my three daughters. Sarah, Emily and Molly in that order. That is number 1, 2 & 3 and I have sometimes referred to them by number as I can't mess up their names that way. I have actually in times of great stress referred to them as "Semolly" which I guess is a hybrid of their names and that way I catch them all in whatever I am about to say. They have laughed about that at times as I would often fumble their names when I was yelling at one of them for something. Of course it was always at the right person, but not always the right name. Under that tattoo of their name is the verse from I Corinthians 16:14 which says, "Let all that you do be done in love." That verse is often quoted but often not understood completely. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians was dealing with some very serious problems in the church. His purpose for writing the Corinthians was to deal with several moral problems and the divisions that had formed as people had divided into fan-clubs and were proclaiming themselves followers of Paul, Apollos, Peter or Christ. He was also dealing with ongoing conflict and contention within the church. Paul lasty had to deal with the Judaizers who claimed he (Paul) had no authority in the church and was not a true Apostle. In short this passage is written to the church members about their behavior and actions toward each other and the world.
Breaking this verse in to two parts makes it easier to understand and makes more sense than some simple statement.
Part One says, "Let all that you do." This means all of our conduct, which includes our thoughts, feelings, actions, and inactions. This further applies to what we do to Christians and non-Christians alike, to friends, enemies, coworkers, passersby, strangers and yes, even the homeless.
Part Two says, "Do in love." The word used here for love is "agape." The King James Version translates the word as "charity.' This is the same word used to describe the love of God throughout Pauls letters. This is best understood in the context of I Corinthians 13 when Paul writes, "the characteristics needed to exhibit the grace of Godly love, that is with patience, kindness, without envy, without boasting, without pride, without dishonoring others, without being self-seeking, without being easily angered, without keeping record of wrongs, without delighting in evil, always protecting, always trusting, always hoping, always persevering, and never failing."
According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man's feet and gave him food and drink. The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, "Don't you worship God?" The old traveler replied, "I worship fire only and reverence no other god." When he heard this, Abraham became incensed, grabbed the old man by the shoulders, and threw him out his tent into the cold night air. When the old man had departed, God called to his friend Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, "I forced him out because he did not worship you." God answered, "I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?"
So believers we have a mighty chore. It is hard to love others sometimes isn't it? We should be cautious however and use the standard give us by God through Paul which simply says, every person we encounter, think about or speak to deserves to be given the same love that God has given us. I guess that means even those that we don't agree with denominatonally, religiously, morally or politically. God's love by God's people in all circumstances. Let us remember to guard the heart as is written in Psalms 4:23, but live in His purpose of demonstrating love and grace to others remembering His example from I John 4:19, "We love because he first loved us."
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