Tongues Of Men And Angels

After our study of the Sermon On The Mount, my juniors took a one period detour and looked at love from 1st Corinthians 13. So much of the Sermon On The Mount deals with the motives for our actions; Paul addresses the same issue at the beginning of his beautiful treatise:
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." (verses 1-3)
As I do often, I had my students put similar thoughts in their own vernacular, framing them with their own points of references. As they always do, they displayed a fascinating-and sometimes startling mature- grasp of life. As examples, I read samples from my students nine years ago. Those now twenty-five year olds did such a good job, I thought I would show them again. Boys are in blue, girls are in pink, and all were used by example.

"If I do community service but don't help out around the house, the community does not need me." Dominique

"If I contribute $1,000 to the church but feel annoyed to give one cent to a beggar, it's not real love." Jeewha

"If I say I love my mom but I don't obey her, I don't really love her." Hernani

"If I help a special needs child and then make fun of him behind his back, I have no love for him." Parker

"If I say I love my friends but I talk about them behind their back, I might as well have no friends." Veronica

"If you go to church but only do it because your parents make you and when you get there, you just text your friends, you might as well not have gone." Stephanie

"If I call out those who are evil but only to shame them, I should have just stayed quiet." Kenny

"If I say I love my friends but let them do wrong when they are with me, I am not showing that I love them." Kevin

"If I donate food but want nothing to do with the kids in Africa and other poor places, I should not donate anything." Sydney

"If I expect my friend to invite me to her party but criticize it when it's over, I should just stay at home." Jessica

"If I am sweet to girls my age but disrespectful to my mother, why am I stopping short?" Cameron

"If I am president of the National Honor Society but I won't help tutor other students, I might as well let someone else lead." Nicholas


Applicable quote of the day:
"Jesus is not impressed in our success in anything over than love."
Shawn Bolz


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com