Friendly
Proverbs 18:24 KJV A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Most people would define friendly as being kind or helpful. For the most part, I think we are able to be friendly towards our friends because it's a beneficial relationship, but what about when it's not. What about when it's inconvenient? What about when we are offended or when we disagree? What about when we're tired or had a bad day? Are we still friendly? Are we still kind? Are we still helpful? Let's try to be like the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Let's try to be more like God. Let's try to be friendly.
Love
Love conquers all. Love is stronger than pride. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love casts out fear. Love suffers long. (That part). Love believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Love is an amazing force. Love crosses color lines. Love crosses political lines. Love never fails. Love is the way. Just in case you forgot.
Links to Michael Curry's sermon and why he went off-script:
https://amp-timeinc-net.cdn.ampproject.org/v/amp.timeinc.net/time/5288994/michael-curry-royal-wedding-sermon amp_js_v=a1&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s
https://amp-timeinc-net.cdn.ampproject.org/v/amp.timeinc.net/time/5288994/michael-curry-royal-wedding-sermon?amp_js_v=a1&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s
Be Kind
Yesterday, an old lady grabbed me, kissed me, and gave me a big hug and wished me a Happy Mother's Day. I never met this woman before. She didn't know me. We weren't friends. She was a stranger. I did give her a free cup of coffee, but I had no idea she would respond the way she did. It caught me by surprise. Truthfully, I was a bit startled. I appreciated her gratitude. I smiled and wished her a Happy Mother's Day as well. She was affectionate. She was kind.
In a day and age when personal space can become a sexual harassment issue, I understand you can't just go around hugging and kissing strangers, but wouldn't it be nice if you could get a hug when you needed one? Wouldn't it be nice if we smiled at one another, and paid it forward? Wouldn't it be nice if we were kind to one another? Imagine that. Imagine truly loving your neighbor. Imagine what the world would look like if we were to be kind.
Charity
1 Corinthians 13: 13
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
First Corinthians 13 is a very popular book of the Bible that references love. Verses 4-8 specifically references the characteristics of love. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. Does our love have the same characteristics? Do we have the same expectation of love? Is it long-suffering or short-tempered? Is our love jealous? Does our love have an ego? If love never fails, why are divorce rates climbing? Maybe what we call love is not love at all. Maybe what define as love doesn't meet God's standards. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate our charity.