Love
is the most important virtue in life. This is the attribute of God.
We who have been found by God because of his love for us have found the greatest virtue in life. When you have God in your heart, you have love, because God is love (1 John 4:8).
The greatest thing we can give others is love - - to show them love. This love is shown in our prayers, care, help and giving whether big or small, to the one in need - - to our neighbor. It is a truism that “you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving”. The Apostle John expressed this more accurately and vividly this way: “We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help - - how can God’s love be in that person? … “let us really show it by our actions.” (1 John 3:16-18 NLT).
Real love is an action, not only a feeling. It produces selfless sacrificial giving. The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. How? By serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return.
In John 15, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And this is how to measure it - - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends” (vs. 12-13 NLT). Then, the Lord Jesus added: “You are my friends if you obey me” (vs. 14).
It is a command that we are to love each other as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. Of course, to show our love for our neighbor, we do not have to really die for them. This is too great and too big a “ministry” reserved only for Jesus Christ. But there are other ways to practice sacrificial love like: listening and then helping, encouraging and giving to our neighbor.
The story of the Good Samaritan related by our Lord Jesus Christ is the best example of a love in action. Upon seeing the Jewish man robbed and left half-dead as he passed by, he felt deep pity. In Jewish tradition, because of racial reason, Jews and Samaritans refrain from dealing with each other. However, in this particular instance, the Samaritan traveler “soothed his (Jewish victim) wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. When he left the inn, he gave the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man.” “If you spend more, I’ll pay you back the next time I come here again” said the Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).
Here, the Good Samaritan disregarded tradition and racial differences. He became no respecter of persons, like the Lord Jesus Christ. And he spent his own money and was willing to spend some more, if need be. Notice the connection of love for neighbor and money.
The year before last, our Chairman in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-XI) led the Board members to a tour of Region XI to determine first hand whether the minimum wage the Board had fixed in Region XI was enough. In Kapalong, Davao del Norte, which happens to be my home town, he interviewed a housewife whose husband was accidentally shot in the banana plantation where he was working. He did not die but could no longer perform his usual work temporarily, so she had to make “puto” for their family’s support and livelihood. As she related her sacrifices to earn for her family’s support, she was crying because the kitchenware she was using was allegedly already unserviceable. Our Chairman asked her how much was the cost of the utensil. She said P1,500.00 and added, “but I have no money to buy”. Whereupon, the Chairman took off his hat, dropped a P500.00 bill and passed the hat to the other six members of the Board. Everyone dropped a P100 bill until at last the hat reached me, as I was the last to give. I had no other money in my wallet except a P500.00 bill but I did not like to pick up P400.00 bills from the hat so I could give only P100.00. So, somewhat grudgingly, I dropped the P500.00 bill. When the hat was handed to the housewife, she counted the money and it was exactly P1,500.00! She cried some more and louder this time, but she forgot to thank us and God, at least at that very moment. She was just like the nine lepers out of ten who were healed by the Lord Jesus Christ and forgot to thank Jesus.
Our Regional Director not long after was recalled to Manila and promoted as Labor Attaché in Australia up to this day. All the other members of the Board remain in status quo. The moral lesson is when you give voluntarily without expecting the recipient to reciprocate, you will receive even more and in good measure. Praise God for our Regional Director who was promoted. His pay and allowances are in Australian dollar which is even more than the US dollar in value. Do you notice again the connection of love for neighbor and money?
Next, we visited the 140-hectare Mercado banana farm in Luna, Kapalong, Davao. The board members requested me to tell our Chairman not to make any interview personally anymore, inasmuch as if someone cries again, we no longer have money to give. The Chairman laughed and he complied. As there were plenty of durian fruits, we helped ourselves to our complete over-satisfaction. To my observation and recollection, no one of us ever thanked the farm in-charge. We are also like the nine unthankful lepers, because of too much durian served upon us. Too much excitement will make us forget to be thankful. Notice again that seven durian fruits cost money!
God voluntarily gave his only begotten Son without our asking because of his love for man. The result is that God will have plenty of sons – all those who will accept and believe Jesus Christ as his Son (John 3:16). Notice here that the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed (purchased) mankind with his precious blood - - beyond the value of money! This is the kind of giving in love of our God. No one can outgive God!
The Lord Jesus Christ said: “If you give, you will receive, your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving – large or small – it will be used to measure what is given back to you” (Luke 6:38 NLT). So, let us keep on giving in love … and we shall receive in return in full measure, not only material and physical but more importantly, spiritual blessings. (FGBMFI Davao City Chapter Bulletin, March 3, 2012)
We who have been found by God because of his love for us have found the greatest virtue in life. When you have God in your heart, you have love, because God is love (1 John 4:8).
The greatest thing we can give others is love - - to show them love. This love is shown in our prayers, care, help and giving whether big or small, to the one in need - - to our neighbor. It is a truism that “you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving”. The Apostle John expressed this more accurately and vividly this way: “We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help - - how can God’s love be in that person? … “let us really show it by our actions.” (1 John 3:16-18 NLT).
Real love is an action, not only a feeling. It produces selfless sacrificial giving. The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. How? By serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return.
In John 15, our Lord Jesus Christ said: “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And this is how to measure it - - the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends” (vs. 12-13 NLT). Then, the Lord Jesus added: “You are my friends if you obey me” (vs. 14).
It is a command that we are to love each other as Jesus loved us, and he loved us enough to give his life for us. Of course, to show our love for our neighbor, we do not have to really die for them. This is too great and too big a “ministry” reserved only for Jesus Christ. But there are other ways to practice sacrificial love like: listening and then helping, encouraging and giving to our neighbor.
The story of the Good Samaritan related by our Lord Jesus Christ is the best example of a love in action. Upon seeing the Jewish man robbed and left half-dead as he passed by, he felt deep pity. In Jewish tradition, because of racial reason, Jews and Samaritans refrain from dealing with each other. However, in this particular instance, the Samaritan traveler “soothed his (Jewish victim) wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. When he left the inn, he gave the innkeeper two pieces of silver and told him to take care of the man.” “If you spend more, I’ll pay you back the next time I come here again” said the Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).
Here, the Good Samaritan disregarded tradition and racial differences. He became no respecter of persons, like the Lord Jesus Christ. And he spent his own money and was willing to spend some more, if need be. Notice the connection of love for neighbor and money.
The year before last, our Chairman in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-XI) led the Board members to a tour of Region XI to determine first hand whether the minimum wage the Board had fixed in Region XI was enough. In Kapalong, Davao del Norte, which happens to be my home town, he interviewed a housewife whose husband was accidentally shot in the banana plantation where he was working. He did not die but could no longer perform his usual work temporarily, so she had to make “puto” for their family’s support and livelihood. As she related her sacrifices to earn for her family’s support, she was crying because the kitchenware she was using was allegedly already unserviceable. Our Chairman asked her how much was the cost of the utensil. She said P1,500.00 and added, “but I have no money to buy”. Whereupon, the Chairman took off his hat, dropped a P500.00 bill and passed the hat to the other six members of the Board. Everyone dropped a P100 bill until at last the hat reached me, as I was the last to give. I had no other money in my wallet except a P500.00 bill but I did not like to pick up P400.00 bills from the hat so I could give only P100.00. So, somewhat grudgingly, I dropped the P500.00 bill. When the hat was handed to the housewife, she counted the money and it was exactly P1,500.00! She cried some more and louder this time, but she forgot to thank us and God, at least at that very moment. She was just like the nine lepers out of ten who were healed by the Lord Jesus Christ and forgot to thank Jesus.
Our Regional Director not long after was recalled to Manila and promoted as Labor Attaché in Australia up to this day. All the other members of the Board remain in status quo. The moral lesson is when you give voluntarily without expecting the recipient to reciprocate, you will receive even more and in good measure. Praise God for our Regional Director who was promoted. His pay and allowances are in Australian dollar which is even more than the US dollar in value. Do you notice again the connection of love for neighbor and money?
Next, we visited the 140-hectare Mercado banana farm in Luna, Kapalong, Davao. The board members requested me to tell our Chairman not to make any interview personally anymore, inasmuch as if someone cries again, we no longer have money to give. The Chairman laughed and he complied. As there were plenty of durian fruits, we helped ourselves to our complete over-satisfaction. To my observation and recollection, no one of us ever thanked the farm in-charge. We are also like the nine unthankful lepers, because of too much durian served upon us. Too much excitement will make us forget to be thankful. Notice again that seven durian fruits cost money!
God voluntarily gave his only begotten Son without our asking because of his love for man. The result is that God will have plenty of sons – all those who will accept and believe Jesus Christ as his Son (John 3:16). Notice here that the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed (purchased) mankind with his precious blood - - beyond the value of money! This is the kind of giving in love of our God. No one can outgive God!
The Lord Jesus Christ said: “If you give, you will receive, your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving – large or small – it will be used to measure what is given back to you” (Luke 6:38 NLT). So, let us keep on giving in love … and we shall receive in return in full measure, not only material and physical but more importantly, spiritual blessings. (FGBMFI Davao City Chapter Bulletin, March 3, 2012)
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