charity is GOD'S hands

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

"4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

We are studying verses that are VERY famous and used at MANY weddings. The commonly used translation will have the word "LOVE" where the KJV has "CHARITY." Keep in mind; this was NOT written to a man and a woman about to be joined in Holy Matrimony. These verses were written to a church. A church divided by infighting and quarreling between different factions. Unfortunate nastiness between brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Apostle Paul began by saying "if I don't have charity I am NOTHING." He is saying "CHARITY" is really important. Really, really important. Maybe this is more than what we think of as "CHARITY." When we look into it; we learn that CHARITY is about actions and what is done for the other person. And, LOVE is a feeling that we experience and work to control. All too often we are NOT able to control our feelings. No matter what our feelings are we can control our actions. And, as Paul is pointing out, our actions need to be CHARITABLE.

AND! CHARITY began with GOD giving His Son to be sacrificed on the cross. CHARITY is the highest form of love, GOD giving in a way that can never be repayed. In today's verses Paul continues to teach;

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind;

charity envieth not;

charity vaunteth not itself,

is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly,

seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked,

thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things,

believeth all things,

hopeth all things,

endureth all things."

Charity and love are a BIG DEAL to Paul, and us, because they represent GOD in our lives! When we demonstrate CHARITY and LOVE to another person we are GOD'S hands working in this world!

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