We Serve Because We Love

1 Corinthians 13:3 If I give all I possess to the poor...but have not love, I gain nothing.

A new top favorite to my "All Time Favorite Chick Flicks" list is Letters to Juliet. It is funny, endearing and portrays the beauty of innocent love. Initially, the main characters, Sophie and Charlie are repulsed by one another. Over dinner one night, Charlie, a lawyer, reveals that he does pro bono work for refugees. Thinking he's scored some points with Sophie, he is probably surprised when she says, "I didn't have you pinned down as the save the planet type....but now that you mention it self-satisfied do-gooder fits." In the end she of course falls for every inch of his self-satisfied, do-gooder self. This might have something to do with his eventual declaration, "I am madly, truly, deeply, passionately in love with you." It'd probably work on me anyway.

After I watched this movie, I got a bit stuck on the self-satisfied, do-gooder line. As I reflected, I pondered if there are times I'm tempted to serve in the church or do something kind because of the way it makes me feel instead of out of an all-out passionate love for Christ.

This morning I am reading the 9th Chapter of Romans. In this passage Paul explains why the Jewish people had such a hard time accepting Jesus as the Messiah. They "pursued a law of righteousness...not by faith but as if it were by works." (Verses 31-32) This is sort of like when I do something "good" because of how it makes me feel, or because someone might grant me recognition. Instead, God wants me to do right things as an overflow of my love for Him. In John 14:15, Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command".

Often at weddings, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 will be read which describes love as being patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered and not keeping a list of past mistakes. The first three verses of this chapter make it clear that Paul is really talking about how we should love and serve people in the church. He describes many lofty services people can provide for the church such as speaking, interpreting scripture, having faith and giving financially. In regard to each one though, Paul calls that action meaningless if it isn't rooted and executed in love.

Had Paul been writing to me, he might have said something like this:

• If you cook a fine meal for your family but spend the entire meal letting them know just what a sacrifice it was, you'd be better off eating McDonalds
• If you volunteer for an event at church and get excited when they call your name from the podium to thank you (or get hurt when they don't), the committee would have been better off with another member
• If you give away used clothes to the poor and then tell everyone about it waiting for their nod of approval, you'd be better off keeping the clothes hanging in your closet.

In Verse 21, Paul inquires, "Does not the potter (God) have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" I can't help wondering if my common isn't made noble when it's done purely out of love.

Jesus, I am madly, truly, deeply, passionately in love with you. It is from that place alone that I want to serve You today. May my common acts of service be for an audience of One. I do them for You. I leave them with You. All because I love You.