Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Naked Jesus

Home
Progressive Christian
Making Love Personal

Making Love Personal

Last updated on: March 23, 2017 at 4:04 pm by John O'Keefe

Making Love Personal 2017-03-23T16:04:54-05:00 John O'Keefe

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

For life to have meaning, you must have a deep passionate love for others

What if, you read 1 Corinthians 13 in a very unusual way?

Here is the reality you need to live with. You can use all the fancy words you like, but if you don’t have a deep abiding passion, and love for others, your words are meaningless.

You can quote the Collective Narrative, chapter, and verse, sharing all the wonders, and mysteries found within the pages, with all the faith, and fever, of a person who can change the world, but if you don’t maintain that passion, and love for others, all that means nothing.

You can take everything you have, and give it away to those in need; you can be willing to die for your faith, but if your passion, and love for others, is off, you’ve done nothing. Think of it this way, it doesn’t matter what you say, what you believe, or what you do, or what you have [or don’t have], if you don’t have a deep passion, and love for others, you’re running on empty. Let me ask you some questions, and I want you to think about your answers in relationship to living a deep, passionate, giving, forgiving, grace filled life, and what it means to love others.

Are you willing to stand for, and with others?
Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for others?
Are you willing to realize you don’t deserve more than others?
Are you willing to think of yourself as less, and others as more?
Are you willing to see others as important?
Are you willing to not get your way?
Are you willing to see the opinions of others as more valuable than yours?
Are you willing to see yourself as the least important person in the room?
Are you willing to let things go?
Are you willing to let the misgivings of others pass you by?
Are you willing to apologize for your own misgivings?
Are you willing to speak positively of, and about, others?
Are you willing to put-up with anything, and I mean anything?
Are you willing to trust the Divine in every part of your life, every part?
Are you willing to look for the best in other people, and ignore their faults?
Are you willing to put the past in the past, and let things go?
Are you willing to keep going, no matter what circumstance?

Your deep passion, and love for others, should never weaken, or be ignored. You need to remember that all your fancy talk, and prayers, will end one day. Keep in mind, what you think you know about the Divine is small, and incomplete; one day your knowledge of the Divine will be full, but for now you don’t know as much as you think you do.

When you were a baby, you sat on your Mom’s lap, cooing, and drooling, all over yourself, and others. Now you’re an adult, so act like one.

Living without a deep passion, and love for others, you’re unable to see things clearly, you’re looking through a dirty window trying to make things out. You should remember that one day, the window will be cleaned, and you’ll be able to see clearer. When that happens, you’ll be able to see all there is to see, just as the Divine sees all there is. At that point, and only at that point, will you have a better understanding of who the Divine is, and how the Divine works in your life.

But for now, without a deep passion, and love of others, you’re living an incomplete life. In the scheme of reality, there are three things that will lead you to knowing the Divine: First, you need to trust in the Divine completely; Second, you need to have a deep hope in all the divine shares; Third, you need to live with a deep passion, and love for others. All three are important, but, if you have an issue with any of those, remember for your life to have meaning, you must life your life with a deep passion, and love of others, this is the best thing you can do.

I want to thank Amy Piatt for her inspiration in my writing this – thanks Amy.

Previous Post

March 22, 2017

Feed People!

Next Post

March 29, 2017 Captivated by Christ

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abuse bad Bad Theology Blue Christian Karma Christmas Church Clinton Coming Out Day Cruz Dance Dangerous Church Discrimination Disruptive Faith disruptive peace Disrutive Church Doctrine Dominionism Evangelism Faith Fun good grace Hell Hillary Inclusive Justice Keller Leadership love Messy Church Missional New Parable Open Peace Play Politics Prayer Progressive racism random Safe Church Sessions Story Theology Trump truth Uncategorized

Select a Month March 2019 December 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 December 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 October 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams in Egypt?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Aaron Daniel Joseph Moses