Is Our Love Sincere?
How thrilling would it be if a mountain moved at your command – even only a fraction of an inch?
Would you feel powerful?
Would you love the attention you receive when every talk show host on TV booked you to discuss your amazing feat?
Yet if you neglected to show love to those around you, you could move every mountain on the planet and you wouldn’t impress God. Consider 1 Corinthians 13:2 (ESV):
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
Even if I, your beloved columnist, could explain the mysteries of the supernatural and answer your deepest life questions but didn’t have God’s love dwelling inside me, the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition would describe me as “a useless nobody.”
The next verse, 1 Corinthians 13:3, says we don’t profit if we don’t have God’s love in us.
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Every day, we busy ourselves with countless activities, many that we do for others. But how often are we doing these tasks for our own glory? We can fool ourselves into thinking we’re sincere, but if we could peer deep into our hearts, our true motives might tell another story.
Even if we give all we have – every bit of our energy and every hour of our lives – to serving others, if our main objective is to earn points with people (or with God), we gain nothing.
Don’t get me wrong. Many serve with genuine hearts. I know some of these extraordinary people. Their actions model a Christlikeness I envy. But I wonder what the rest of us might discover about ourselves if we asked God to examine our true motives regarding the “good” works we do at church, at work and in our community.
How differently might we serve others if we saw ourselves as we are – representatives of Christ? How would it change people’s perspective about God if they saw His goodness in us? Perhaps they’d see God differently if they experienced God’s love for them when they see us (those who claim to be Christ-followers) genuinely caring about their needs.
Let’s pray:
Father, help us love others with a sincere love. Give us the desire and grace to serve others in Your name so we can move mountains of distrust, annoyance and jealousy in our churches and in our communities – a fraction of an inch at a time. Amen.
What about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this post. (Others might also benefit from your comment.)
- Do you want to move mountains?
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I’ve prayed this several times in my life , probably should pray this every day. Thank you for the reminder, busyness seems to slowly overtake my actions before i even realize it and have gone back to my old ways. Thank you for posting this today
I love you, Teresa. You are one of the people I referred to in my devotion. You serve with a genuineness I envy. You are beautiful – inside and out, my friend.
Sheryl thank you for this article. I have been led to read my Bible through.I am asking God to help me to comprehend whatI read.That I may see others through his eyes. Not always easy but,Thankful God is still working on me.
God is STILL working on me too, Susan!
I’m so proud of you for persevering in reading through the Bible and praying to comprehend what you’re reading! Don’t give up, dear friend.
AND thank you so much for stopping by Today Can Be Different again.
Yes, it extends to churches which, of course, are made of its members. Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation give examples of works of churches – some were favorable to God and others were not. Depended if they were conducted in sincere love or if they were for appearances or going through the motions.
Hello, Jamez. Exactly. Our motives behind our actions are very important. We would be wise to allow the Holy Spirit to examine our motives!
Thank you for stopping by Today Can Be Different, Jemez. I hope you visit again!
God knows the intentions of our heart towards Him and others we serve. Are we relying on His authentic and genuine love in caring for others, or are we more concerned with what others think and see? We are to please God, not man. Without depending on God in this, we are nothing. This is a humbling thought for sure. Thanks Sheryl!️✝️
Indeed! Indeed!! As I mentioned to Jamez (above your comment), we would be wise to allow God’s Holy Spirit to examine our motives. I, for one, can sometimes fool myself. 🙁
Thank you for another great comment, Kim.
This reminds me of people who are willing to help, but only if it’s under their conditions or control. I am hopeful I do not have a log in my eye and that I will serve as needed and not turn it into a personal power grab to do something other than what was requested. Help and service should be given as an act of being the hands, feet and heart of Jesus.
So true, Janice. It is so easy for us to get our motives wrong. I know I do this a lot. I pray (as you mentioned) to be the hands, feet and heart (love the way you said this, Janice) of Jesus!