1 Corinthians 13

                                Love is, and what  love is not.

Ladies and Gentlemen here we have the great love chapter.  If we look at the description of what love is we see every aspect of love is a choice.  It tells us what love is and what it is not.  We choose not to be Jealous. We choose to not keep track of wrongs done to us.  I have met people and the chemistry was there, love was not.  I have brothers in Christ that there is a genuine love and caring for.  All the aspects of love are there. Some have things I don’t. I have giftings they don’t. The real fruit of a love for a brother or sister is not what we can receive from that person, but what we choose to do in regards to that relationship that we  have with them that adds to their lives…   I was watching the bachelorette Monday night.  (Yes even I get sucked in to reality TV at times,)  The couple on a date in Thailand came across this old guy selling his goods on a street corner.  He had been married 32 years.  They asked him what the secret to the success of his marriage was.   His answer came in two words. “Don’t win.”   A simple yet so profound statement of not seeking ones own gain has not been found.  Here is the bottom line to the whole thing.  I am going to use an example of a couple to demonstrate this point.  This couple had been married for 40 years.  The passion had long since cooled down a bit, was still there but not the intenseness that it was at the beginning.   This man had for year after year gone to work, provided for his family. He had milked the cows, fed animals.  He provided for his children. Cut 8 cord of wood a year.  Took his son fishing in the summer and snomobiled with him in the winter.  Never, ever complained.    In the end showed a love for the Lord by taking care of his family by choice.  That person was my Dad.  A person who was more concerned with his family and in the end my mom than he could ever be for himself.  I am who I am today because of what God had done in my life, and the sacrifice that my Father made so that I could be the person that God has made me to be.

Go in peace

Michael