Charity or Love

Charity or Love

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal 2 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 charity, I am nothing 3 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 profits me nothing.

First of all what is Charity?

The dictionary describes charity as the voluntary giving of help, assistance, aid, welfare relief, gifts, money and presents.

We use the word charity or charitable organization or giving organizations so loosely

Like a Church, Religious organization, Good Will, Salvation Army set up to help the disadvantage.

For every Church or Religious organization is not a charitable organization (set up to help or raise money for the less fortunate or those in need according to the above definition) and they will tell you that if you ask them for help that we can’t or [won’t help you]!  

The Government calls them charitable organizations but does God?

I believe giving should be done from the heart or else it is not Godly Giving. It is just giving by the world’s standard. [I will give you if you give me back latter, now you owe me one] or fill this application out and see if you qualify. (Meanwhile you can remain homeless, sleep on the park bench or in your car until we process your information) If you come to my church or meeting we (might) help you.

But what if that was Christ or even your mother, father or one of your close relatives?

Charity is Godly Giving (Love in action) Agape

Oftentimes I have attended several church services and the preacher would say to the congregation “high five your neighbor or give my neighbor a hug” Well I didn’t have a problem with that because hugs and high fives are for free. But is that all there is to love or charity in the church?

 But what is Paul really talking about in 1 Corinthians 13

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 iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all thing. 8 Charity never fails…

The King James Version uses Charity not Love. Charity is an action word. Not talking about it but being about it (I mean in the given part)

Assisting, helping, giving even when you don’t feel like it, or even like the individual you are helping! Matthew 5:44

 But we really need to be careful that we don’t confuse emotional [Love feely Love] Agape giving love!

You cannot replace a hug for a sandwich, a coat or a pair of shoes or boots in the winter.

Your God bless you cannot make someone in need feel warm in the winter other than warming of the soul from being discouraged.

One day I was in McDonalds and I met a woman that I felt led to pray for. When I began to pray and utter God Bless you, God said to me “no you bless them; you go in your pocket and help them’. So I gave them a certain amount of money and later on that day went and did my shopping downtown Brooklyn. A another woman came up to me and said “God told me to give this to you”. It so happen that it was the same amount of money I gave “wow”.   {I believe it was because of my obedience} He that gives to the poor lend to the Lord and he will repay! Proverbs 19:

God so loved us that he Gave his only begotten son, He could have just stayed in heaven and sent a [text message] or yelled down to earth but he acted upon His love by sending the living Word of God to redeem us from our sins.

Suffering without retaliation.

Verse 4 Charity suffers long and is kind. In other words when Satan uses people on your job, your home. Yes, even in the house of God to get on your last nerve to persecute you lie on you, scandalize your name, treat you less than what you should be treated; God is still requiring you the victim to treat people that are unlovable toward you, kind and respectable to suffer without retaliation!

Verse 5 Charity does not envy.  If God did it for your Sister or Brother he can and will do it for you. Don’t get jealous when worldly or so called godly people are blessed while they are in their sin and rejoice as if they are doing no wrong while they mistreat the people of God!

The Bible says Psalm 37:1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be you envious of the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

For God knows how to take care of your enemies while you continue to love on them, God will deal with them.

Verse 6 Love rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth.

Don’t rejoice when someone is being punished for their sin because the Bible says that your sin will find you out.  If it found your brother or sister in sin.... it can find you [especially if you’re bragging and rejoicing saying ha ha ha about their sin struggle]!  

Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. 

Verse 8 Charity never fails, can God count on you? My mother always taught me that your word is the most important thing in the world. If an individual has a need it was better for you to not say anything than to make false promises and not do it. She would say that was free advice. If your not going to do it in the first place than be quiet.

To take care of her family or help someone she would rather rob a bank borrow or do whatever she could to hold up her word. She recognized that her word was bond.

Are you failing God with words are they just empty words.  The world calls some foods empty calories. Do you practice meaning what you say? Are you just bluffing when you say you love God and when the test comes you fail because you were just blowing hot air?

Charity is a Community thing [Out Reach]

By loving Kindness have I drawn thee Jeremiah 31:3

A few years ago I invited one of my muslin relatives to church service while living in New York City.  The service was beautiful with the singing, praise dancing, preaching yet my family member wasn’t impressed after they saw the offering being collected.  You see I also supported this church financially.

It felt a little embarrassing when they talked about what was the church doing with the money (He didn’t see anything) and it was a large church.  His view was the Church is supposed to help or impact the community, and use some the resources they have received to do it with. I didn’t have an answer for him. And one day I needed help and they weren’t there for me either. Many Churches are building foundations of wealth and storing treasures here on earth and teaching other likewise. God said in his word that He was blessing Abraham to be a blessing to establish his covenant on earth. Genesis 12:2 The Apostolic anointing was not a selfish anointing but a sharing and distributing anointing and to empower others to be free and in one accord. Act 4:32-35

I am not saying that all churches are selfish but more than a handful are, but this is just some of my experience.