GIVING UP

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
(JOHN 5:42)

And so, the end of the year draws near and I’m left asking myself, what kind of person gives up? I mean really now. I’ve been surrounded by people who all want to give up. So, I wonder why? Why? And it’s simple. Plain and simple, point blank, no doubt about it; anybody who gives up on anything is a selfish coward. And if we all know anything about love and God, you can have neither be selfish or have fear to have the love of God; so in essence these people know nothing about love at all. Don’t get me wrong, you have to love yourself, but there is a HUGE difference between loving yourself and being selfish. Leaving your spouse and having an affair is selfish. But, sacrificing your pride and trying to make things work, because you’re honoring the vow you made is love. Letting your children do whatever you want while you go out and act like . . . well . . . you know what you are, is being selfish, but staying home and spending time with them teaching them the word of God and raising them properly shows love. Having an affair is selfish, but working on the marriage you promised to work on is love. Lying to the people around you who care about you is selfish, but being honest with them is love. I could go on and on and I’m guessing you’re all wondering the same thing, “how is this loving ourselves?” Simple, doesn’t the Bible say “do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” Doesn’t it say that we should “love one another as we love ourselves?” Doesn’t the Bible say “what you’ve done to the least, you’ve done to God?” So, I ask you this question, what if you did all the things I mentioned above directly to God himself? Or an even better question, how would you feel if the Almighty God gave up on you? But, he would never do that, because He is love and knows what love is. Sadly, someone who acts the way I mentioned doesn’t know love and definitely doesn’t know God.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love 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. Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(I CORINTHIANS 13)