31/08/08

Agape and not just Agapao will bring us to perfection

Colossians 3:14 - And above all these things put on charity(Agape), which is the bond of perfectness.

Yesterday as I was taking a session on 'Doing Good Service' I was lead to understand the meaning of the Greek word 'Agape'. Many of us in the past must have tried to help other but must have seen things not turning right, in fact things it may have worsened. My experience a few days back was due to this. Many a times although I was doing the right thing but the way I did it was wrong. The Greek word for love is 'Agapao' but most of the time the word that has been translated in the New Testament as 'love' is 'Agape' which truly means 'charity '. What is the difference between 'love ' and 'charity '? 'Charity ' is more than 'love '; it means 'to act in love with no selfish motive'.

We may go out to work in God's vineyard but we should ask ourselves whatever we are doing, is it with love and what is the motive behind it? Let me take an example from Jesus' work. When Jesus had to feed the hunger five thousand that followed Him (Mark 6:34-41), He had the money to feed them but He chose not to pay but to pray and multiply the five loaves and two fishes. He did not do it to show his power but to show his Father's hand in his service, so that all glory may be given to Him.

Whatever work we do, trying to help others, even if we have all the resources to help the person let us pause and ask ourselves will this act glorify God? Let our every service show God's hand behind it so that glory may be given to Him. Loving or serving people will not make us perfect in the Lord, but by serving people with love and doing it selflessly, while giving all glory to the Lord will.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, teach me the real love. Show me the correct way to serve in your vineyard. Let all that I do be with love and compassion giving all glory to You. Let my every work show your hand behind it. I make this prayer in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Mark 6:34-41
34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give em to eat?
38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)