That Which Really Matters

Last week I went to the memorial service of a man who just days before had celebrated his 61st birthday. A man who although he had never smoked died of lung cancer. From diagnosis to the day he died was only 6 weeks and 1 day.

The following verse was used to describe his life:

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and compliant,

full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

 James 3:17

 

Next:

 

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,

goodness, faith, Meekness, self-control:

against such there is no law. 

 Galatians 5:22-23

 

And we ended up in the Love Chapter:

 

 

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 

                                                                                         

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, ^a but have not love, it profits me nothing.

References for 1 Corinthians 13:3

• Footnotes

• Š 13:3 - NU-Text reads so I may boast.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.              

 

                  
What a beautiful chapter this is!

 

I left this memorial - deep in though with questions like:

 

Could these things be said about me?

If not, Why not?

What areas need improving?

 

We are all on a journey in this life.

We all have choices.

And as the Holy Spirit guides,

 I hope that we all will choose that which really matters in life.