March 31, 2020 Higher Everyday Devotional :- CHARITY IN CHRIST’S CHURCH
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HIGHER EVERYDAY
TUESDAY MARCH 31, 2020
CHARITY IN CHRIST’S CHURCH
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-8
MEMORY VERSE: “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 CORINTHIANS 13:3).
In ancient times, zealous religious bigots could burn themselves to prove the principles of their faith. A certain monk in Italy offered himself to be burnt to validate the opinions he professed. But this is biblically baseless, and doesn’t fulfil God’s expectation: Love towards God and others. True piety has charity as secret ingredient but there can be great acts of generosity and sufferings without love.
Robert D. Lupton once explained an ancient Hebrew wisdom of four levels of charity. The first is providing a job for one in need without his knowledge of the provider. The second is providing something that the needy one knows you provided. The third is giving an anonymous gift to meet an immediate need. The last is giving a poor person gifts with his full knowledge that you are the donor.
To empower other church members, we must possess the virtues of charity, patience, kindness, tolerance, trust, understanding, etc. With love amongst believers, there won’t be jealousy, egotism, rudeness, selfishness, strife and gossips. Mix love with spiritual gifts and they become God-pleasing and profitable.
QUOTE: True piety has charity as secret ingredient.
CHALLENGE: Without active love, your faith is of less value.
PRAYER: Lord help me love my brethren as you love me.