So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

  - 1 Corinthians 13.13

Love is no trouble; love is more pleasant, more healthful, more saving to the heart. For if the heart has not beome enervated in its vices, love is its own health, besides being what is dear to God; yet nothing is dearer to God than love, especially spiritual love, since it is the sum of His law and of all His commands, according to that saying of the Apostle, But he who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the law.

  - Columbanus, Sermon XI (Irish, 7th century)

I might like to dispute with Columbanus over that first statement. Sometimes I find it very hard to love people. People who don't agree with me, for example, or who cling to views that strike me as self-centered, stupid, or wicked.

But I'm glad the Lord manages to love me in spite of such attitudes on my part.

I agree that loving God and others is more pleasant than not. It is also more uplifting, renewing, and envigorating. The more we love others, and encourage others to love, the more of real life we inject into our Personal Mission Field. Sow love and you will be more likely to reap love in due course.

Spiritual love is the only love that lasts - love generated within us by the Spirit of God unto spiritual ends and outcomes. We cannot love God or our neighbors on our own strength. We must cry to the Father to give us His Spirit, so that we may know His love and show His love to Him and the people around us.

The goal of all Christian teaching and learning is love (1 Tim. 1.5). We are growing in the Lord and the life of faith as we increase in love for God and for our neighbors. Doctrine matters, yes. So does the ability to point out the errors of our detractors and to proclaim the truth of God for every aspect of life.

But love has the primacy. Whatever we do as followers of Christmust be motivated and carried by love. God can help us in this, so let us seek His help at all times.

Among all the many wonderful and great things that come with faith in Christ, love is the greatest.

Because love is the most like Jesus.

T. M. Moore, Principal

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