Nothing Without Love

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Cor 13:2

I was running from place to place trying to wire explosives together. Everybody kept interrupting, and I couldn’t let on what I was really doing. I gave them platitudes to keep them content. I finally got free of the crowd and sprinted to the detonation site. Then I awoke upset and breathing hard. “Lord, what does it mean?”

“Don, you have been conspiring to bring explosive change to the people you shepherd. You have been running around wiring for change and preoccupied with configuring a new start for the church instead of truly loving the souls that will be blown up in the process. In the name of outreach you are disregarding the hearts I have already given you to love. Slow down and care for people, not your programs, not your bigger, brighter future. Because if you build the greatest evangelistic ministry in the world, and lead thousands to Christ, and witness your land swept into repentance and worship, but you do not love people as I love them, you are nothing.”

“Lord,” came my reply (though I loathed to hear my voice now that I saw the enormity of my error), “will I ever get out of spiritual kindergarten? Yes Lord, with Your help I will love others. I will leave results in Your hands. I will spend quality time with whoever will let me. I’ll learn to know them. I’ll enjoy good things with them and find out where they hurt. I’ll let You bring Your peace into their lives. Lord, I will see the individual not the crowd. I know how You love me, and I know that is how You love them. I’m so sorry.”

Prayer: I am nothing without You. Help me love.