Faith, Hope, Love

Yesterday I talked to Suzanne, a woman who has been a part of my life for decades. She was my dance teacher and influenced me on many levels during my pre-teen years on into adulthood. I am so thankful we are friends. I love her so much. The Lord convicted me during our conversation about a family member of mine. I don't like her, don't dislike her, I feel absolutely nothing for her. I gave her a "special" name and cannot begin to count the tacky remarks I've made about her over the years.

So as a Christian, how have I excused my behavior regarding my family member? How have I excused telling other family members I don't want an update about her life? How have I excused making people laugh until they cry with the one line remarks I make about her? How have I excused not seeing her when she is in town? I haven't excused it, I've totally ignored my ungodly attitude toward her. Apathy not love describes my feelings (or lack thereof) towards her.

After Suzanne and I ended our conversation, I repented and prayed for forgiveness. I also prayed for my family member. Because if I have no love...I am a noisy gong or a clanging symbol.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.