You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

• Galatians 5:13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  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 do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

• 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

• Titus 3:3-7

“In our present day usage of the English language we would undoubtedly substitute the word ‘love’ for the word ‘charity’ to better express the thought of the above passage. In this day and age there is a desperate need for love. While we were created for love, we live in an age where there is an acute absence of love brought about to a large extent by the depersonalized and organized functioning of our society. To a degree this situation already existed in Bible times. St. Paul in the third chapter of his letter to Titus calls attention to man’s foolishness, disobedience, malice, envy and hate for one another, but then goes on to point out that in spite of all this, the love of God our Saviour still appears to mankind and that in mercy He saves us.”

• Roy Z. Kemp, Measure for Living

Boilerplate

In this new mini-series, I found an old book of mine in my wife’s things.  I did not know that she had it, but she loved collecting inspirational poems.  She had a knack for skimming over the subject matter that the Sunday school class would discuss.  Then she would thumb through the poetry and devotional books on the shelf and seemingly pick one at random.  Then she would open the book to a seemingly random page and read a prayer or two.  Then she would nod her head and place a bookmark at what she had found.  Then after the Sunday school class had wandered around the subject, going down various rabbit holes along the way, she would end the class with the poem and a short prayer.  And the poem seemed to summarize what we had talked about, even the side trails down rabbit holes.  It fit so perfectly every time.

I do not think she ever quoted this book, but it was a keepsake.  I had never read it.  The inscription in the front of the book states, “It has been a joy to have had you this year.  It has been a friendship I will cherish.”  It was signed by the woman who lived next door to my mother’s mother.  She taught piano and organ.  I took organ lessons.

Do not ask me to play anything on the piano.  I learned by gently gliding over the keys, not by striking them.  And after 55+ years of not practicing, I would be lost after a few bars of Swingin’ Shepherd Blues.

Discussion

Obviously, the writer is looking at the KJV, but before we dismiss this as being in the transition phase between the evolution of the English language and the translation of the Bible, let’s consider that the word “charity” in the modern use of the word could mean “love in action.”  Today, charity could be defined as “almsgiving,” but what is almsgiving other than a type of love in action.

The author points out that in his day, copyright 1947, there was a great need for love.  This was the time of the reconstruction after World War II.  Love making was not a problem.  Otherwise, why call that generation “Baby Boomers?”  But love was lacking.  Industry was booming for people looking for any kind of work.  Farms that had reduced workers during the war were starting to increase production.  But as the author said, the individual was being lost in the growth of business.  In some way, this led to the cultural revolution and a generation of dropouts.  They did not want to enter the depersonalized workaday and wait your turn in order to slowly move up the ladder.

But the love that many of the Hippies sought was a physical love, and not agape, God’s Love.  The Jesus Revolution affected thousands, and many are still around trying their best to grow the Kingdom.

But whether you take one path or another in the money earning world, loving others is what God commands of us.  We are to help the needy, and washing our hands of the needy because we pay our taxes is not what God meant.  He expects us to get our hands dirty.

The prayer below is a poem in biblical style as well as modern poetry with meter and rhyme.  It compares the unthoughtful with the loving.  And the poem points out that God cleanses us.  God gives us the power to forgive.  God strengthens us to love others in spite of the hardships.  And when God fills us with His love, it naturally overflows to those around us.

May we all yearn for even more love to overflow.

Closing Prayer

“Let me forget the unkind word
   Which someone says to me,
Remembering the kind and good
   Is all that there should be
Within my mind. The hurt, the blow,
   And humiliation’s sting
Must be forgotten just as though
   There had not been a thing.

And let my own mistakes and faults,
   Or any unkind word
I may have done or may have said
   When I was quick and stirred,
Be soon forgotten by the ones
   Who may have heard or seen.
Be charitable of all these things,
   Dear Lord, and make me clean!”

• Roy Z. Kemp, Measure for Living (Prayer for Charity)

“Father, guide me.  Help me feel the poetry.  Thank You for the gift of charity and love.  You fill me with Your love to the point of overflow.  Fill me, Lord.  Show me how to put Your love into action in my life.  In Thy Name I pray.
“Amen”

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.