The Generosity of Love

Grace to You.org ^ | 1993 | John MacArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

"[Love] does not seek its own" (1 Cor. 13:5).

Love transforms selfish people into self-sacrificing people.

From the time of Adam and Eve, replacing God with self has been at the root of all sin. Our first parents had only one restriction: "From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die" (Gen. 2:17). But Eve believed the serpent's lie that God was trying to keep her from realizing her full potential (Gen. 3:5). She ate the forbidden fruit, gave some to Adam, and together they plunged the human race into sin and death.

Christ changed all that when He came, not "to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28). Unlike Adam and Eve, He didn't seek His own comfort or gain, but made whatever sacrifices were necessary to redeem lost sinners.

It is reported that the inscription on a tombstone in a small English cemetery reads,

Here lies a miser who lived for himself, And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares.

How tragic to spend your entire life enslaved to your selfishness. In contrast, a tombstone in the courtyard of St. Paul's Cathedral in London reads, "Sacred to the memory of General Charles George Gordon, who at all times and everywhere gave his strength to the weak, his substance to the poor, his sympathy to the suffering, his heart to God." The first tombstone testifies to the futility of greed and selfishness; the second to the glory of generosity and self-sacrifice.

Christ is the perfect example of self-sacrifice. If you love Him, you should be characterized by the same quality. Then others will see your genuineness and commitment to them, and by God's grace be drawn to your Lord.

What epitaph might your family and friends write about you? I pray it is one that glorifies God for the selfless love He demonstrated through you.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for those who have made significant sacrifices toward your spiritual growth. Seek to imitate their love.

For Further Study

List the fifteen qualities of love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, then determine how self-sacrifice relates to each one.

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[Ezekiel]

Well, it could be an allegory but...

It is reported that the inscription on a tombstone in a small English cemetery reads,

Here lies a miser who lived for himself, And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares.

Says more about the character of people who would inscribe such a statement on a tombstone than it does about the man in the grave. After all, the dead can't defend themselves. Maybe he kept to himself because nobody cared. Perhaps he sat on his back porch, out of sight, feeding the birds. Would the neighborhood have noticed or cared? Not if they were too busy being offended that he wouldn't share with them.

How tragic to spend your entire life enslaved to your selfishness. In contrast, a tombstone in the courtyard of St. Paul's Cathedral in London reads, "Sacred to the memory of General Charles George Gordon, who at all times and everywhere gave his strength to the weak, his substance to the poor, his sympathy to the suffering, his heart to God." The first tombstone testifies to the futility of greed and selfishness; the second to the glory of generosity and self-sacrifice.

The first tombstone testifies to the scorn and derision delivered by men. The second testifies to the glory afforded by men. Gravestones are like the internet: every word is forever. Passers-by - like those seeing a social media firestorm (someone got offended somewhere) - would only see the one-sided account. Useless. Dangerous even. People really should be more discerning before passing judgment.

The Lord sees not as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Things can look really bad, yet...

Jer 30

12. For thus says the Lord, Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous:
13. There is none to plead your cause, that you may be bound up; you have no healing medicines:
14. All your lovers have forgotten you; they seek you not; for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of your iniquity; because your sins were increased:
15. Why do you cry over your hurt? Your pain is incurable for the multitude of your iniquity; because your sins were increased, I have done these things to you:
16. Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; and all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go to captivity; and those who plunder you shall be plundered, and all those who prey upon you will I give for a prey:
17. For I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds, says the Lord; because they called you an outcast, saying, This is Zion, for whom no man cares:

cares:

01875 darash - seek, enquire, search, investigate, study with care...

(midrash/derash: allegory, metaphor)

Well, it could be an allegory but...