By Apostle Alex Adusei Agyemang

1Corinthians 13:3NIV

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.

 

When it comes to God, not only what you do but why you do what you do is the most important. Unlike man, God weighs actions. He goes a step further to consider the motives behind the actions.

There are people and Christians alike who have done seemingly good things but accounted for nothing in the sight of God.

Why do you do what you do?

Paul says,“If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all…..1 Corinthians 13:3AMP”

He gives to the poor so to boast, he helps a brother in need so people will applaud.

They give big in church with the intention of being commended by men. All such people have their rewards already. They are not going to receive anything from God.

Jesus said,“Take heed that ye do not your almsgiving before men, to be seen by them; otherwise ye have no reward from your Father who is in Heaven.Therefore when thou givest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward……Matthew 6:1-2KJV”

Paul was just quoting the lord Jesus when he said,

“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”

What is God saying? You can help  people without loving them. The mere fact that you gave to the needy, doesn’t mean that action was borne out of love.

You can be so nice and accommodating of people without loving them, it can be out of pretence. For God, the heart is what matters. Those actions, what thoughts, imaginations, emotions and feelings led to them?

It only pays to love people genuinely, it only pays when it comes from the inner core of your heart.

There are Christians  who are very helpful to the needy, they do that because they read from the Bible that such actions come with eternal rewards.

Such is living at a lower level. Yes! God will reward you for the good works but that shouldn’t be why you love people. Such attitudes displease God. Love and cherish people because they are in the image of God. Love them for who they truly are even if they don’t acknowledge it.

When you love every human genuinely because they were created in the image of God, you are honouring God.

Wisdom says,

“He who oppresses the poor taunts and insults his Maker, But he who is kind and merciful and gracious to the needy honors Him………Proverbs 14:31KJV

God bless you!

Weekly Prayer

  • Pray and intercede for unsaved souls in your family, immediate and far
  • Pray for a harvest of souls into Light embassy ministries

 Scriptural reference: John 4:35, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:4, Acts 16:31,