12/13/08… “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” Once again Father your Words show me the way. What a wonderful enlightenment. This passage in 1 Corinthians only revealed to me as I sought to display Your words in action. Following a 2 day fast from food where I asked You to seek me out, You did and You showed me the words in Isaiah 58:8, so I sought with fervor to feed the hungry, to care for those in need, and to help those with afflicted souls. I sought with fervor to love my neighbor but I had no concept of what this really meant; I thought I did, I did not. You showed me the path, the avenue of truth, and You led me to the poor and the homeless, and I took the risk and said yes.
At one point, I bought $200 worth of individual travel size shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, laundry, and other hygiene products. Father, the cashier at Wal-mart probably wanted to run when she saw me pull up with a shopping cart overflowing with hygiene trinkets; probably enough to “feed” 5,000. But instead of running away, she just smiled, and I just told her I liked to brush my teeth a lot.
Father, another time I bought a cart load of groceries. I lined up the bagels and peanut butter on my kitchen island like a manufacturing conveyor belt, and I proceeded to individually bag a meal for those who were hungry. Other times Father, I took requests from those with no roof, and joyfully proceeded to buy wool socks, heavy jackets, blankets, and winter gloves. My heart was full of joy knowing I was going to be helping those in need.
But then You spoke and in my thoughts You seemed to thank me for striving to follow your Word. You seemed to thank me for my giving heart. But then You seemed to say You wanted to teach me something further. You wanted me to love them.
I respond and say, what do You mean Father? I am not sure I understand. Am I not loving them with my giving heart, with my money, and with my goods. What else is it You desire of me? Then a passage is revealed. Isaiah 58:8 says, “…then your light shall break forth like the morning” and I finally understood. You showed me back to the words in 1 Corinthians 13:3, “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” The greatest commandment of all besides loving You is loving our neighbor, but I cannot love them if I am not in relationship with them. You indeed are showing me how to live the greatest commandment of all; to love a crack addict, to love someone with HIV, to love an ex-con, to love the indigent, to love those who smell bad, to love those who reek of alcohol, to love those who are mentally unstable. But I can only do this if I am in relationship. That means talking to them and getting to know them as real people because when you begin to know someone, that is when love can take root. Oh Father! The truth behind this brings me to my knees.
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