The Mother Of All Gifts

The Mother of All Gifts: The Gift of Love

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have 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 do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3

 

Friend, the greatest gift we can ever offer  to one another is that of Love.

Glass gifts will one day break.

Gifts of cloth  will be worn and one day thrown

Gifts of fancy electronics  will one day be outdated.

And even highly esteemed Gifts of roses, Gold and Jewelry will be received, proudly and enthusiastically displayed,  and then one day gone and forgotten.

Gifts will come and go but love stays and grows in us: God’s love to us, and our love to one another.

 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

 Love is like a seed planted and that will one day grow into a tree that will  produce good fruits. That will in turn have seeds that will be planted in another soil; another heart and that will also one day grow to be a tree that will produce new fruits that will. do the same.

 Genuine Love is the  one gift whose worth, value and impact never ends .

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:8

With billions of gifts exchanged this Christmas and in the New Year it’s no surprise that  not all gifts are motivated by love. Some gifts are gifted to gain a position, a favor, or a privilege.

But God’s gift of love is motivated  by just one thing : Love.

Beyond any gift I’m giving today, I want to do my God-help-me-best imitation of Jesus Christ and give to my family, and all those around me the greatest gift of all: The Gift of Love as a father, a son, a brother, and a friend.  Friend, let’s examine our motives for each of our given gifts and think a loving thought, and say a prayer of love and caring for each of their recipients.

 

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:9-12

God’s gift of love, Jesus, to our human race, tops all known earthly gifts. It’s not a gift to nice, welcoming and friendly people only  but an open gift to ALL . It’s also to  haters, selfish, greedy,  big time sinners, and angry folks like many of us who become avowed enemies of God with a life style of big time open disobedience.

The greatness of God’s gift, Jesus, is in the forgiveness that this love brings in its wings freeing hearts like yours and mine from guilt and condemnation.

Love bringing forth forgiveness, freedom, peace and joy is the staff that God’s gift of love is all about.

And friend, in God’s wisdom, love is the greatest gift of all given freely to you and I. Truly the mother of all gifts above all roses, gold, jewelry, new PS4s, and the most priced gift in your possession today.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

 

Adel Gobran Hanna, M.D.

Author: Soldier to Soldier, Heart to Heart

A Doctor’s Stories from a Military Camp