Without Love Nothing I Give Matters.

Without Love Nothing I Give Matters.  

In the last few days looking at the Love Chapter 1 Corinthians 13  we have learned that:

If I don’t live a life of love, nothing I say will matter.

If I don't live a life of love, nothing I know will matter.

If I don’t live a life of love, nothing I believe will matter.  

Today we learn:

If I don’t live a life of love, nothing I give will matter.

“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, but I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.”  1 Cor. 13:3  

Can you give for selfish motives?  Absolutely!  Giving is not necessarily always loving.

Some people give in order to get back.  That’s not love, that’s selfishness.

Some people give out of guilt, trying to ease their conscious, giving trying to make up for something they did or did not do in the past. That’s not love either.

Some people give to control other people.  Parents and spouses do this all the time – they manipulate others by giving or withholding.  That’s not love.

Some people give for prestige, for glory, for honor.  They want a little plaque with their name on it that says, “Look!  I'm a great giver!”  That’s not love.

You can give for a lot of wrong motives, and the Bible says if I'm not giving in love, none of my giving counts.

Try something weird today for Valentine’s Day. Give something to someone as a random act of kindness without expecting ANYTHING in return. Now that’s love!

Your pastor and partner in ministry.

Kyle