"Diversi-TEA: : Re-Brew #2

And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. (Mark 16:15, NLT) 

"Go ye into all the world."....that verse kept coming to mind as I watched the depressing "world news" on NBC tonight. We are diverse and yet in many ways, we're just the same. We all need hope.

Diverse----maybe NOT so much. Many cultures seem to be searching God's word for hope and understanding. We're even drawn to the same verses regardless of the translation.
Most popular Bible verses in the top 10 most populous countries are shown to be very similar. (Bible Gateway'a missiographic link)

Check out what people from all nations are "searching for."
Love, hope, guidance, strength.

These 10 countries were tops in the missiographic global Bible searches.

These results gave me lots to think about as I pondered this World view snapshot. Diverse cultures? Yes? Same needs? Yes.

Psalm 23 was listed in every country but Indonesia. The Bible books of Psalms, Genesis, & John were also repeated.

Diversi-TEA. Sip it with a friend and share God's unconditional love with them.

"chari-TEA" : a Re-Brew

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13, NIV)

Today's speaker at Downline Women's Summit, Lysa TerKeurst, caught my attention when she said, "when I've done something for someone else, I like to be noticed and thanked." "Whereas," she continued,  '"a wise-hearted woman has a servant's heart."  Such a woman "tucks her quiet acts" of un-noticed areas of service, where only God sees. Not done for the eyes of others.
I imagined such gifts of love, in the area of financial service, being given anonymously. Without tangible reward---name on a plaque or thank you gift included when donation is given. Conviction!

Charitable type of love is in an overflow of one's love for the Lord which allows one to serve others well. It is not a love that needs credit.

Charity in the Hebrew is tzedakah---completely voluntary or a religious obligation---typically seen as a moral obligation, a charitable giving to be performed regardless of financial standing, even by poor people. A works-orientation of sorts.

These actions can certainly be seen as "acts" of charity BUT greater still are those same works which are done as an outpouring of love from God, Himself.

If one becomes more interested in keeping the commandments to establish one's own merit than in loving others, then the message is lost. Even if one serves others out of obligation to observe the law, then it is done for "self "rather than for the "others" one is appearing to serve. In such a way, that service fulfills one's own desires. According to the Greek translation, charity is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13) BUT is fleshly service, "charity" without love? Charity without love, is that an oxymoron?

True charity is God's work. We are but His hands and feet to show Christ's love to the world. Charity is expressed by serving one another. When the object of our faith is Christ, who loved us, we are motivated and empowered to express His kind of love to others. His Love Works.

"chari-TEA"

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:13, KJV)

Chari-TEA! It's all about love. The Greek for charity is "agape" translated as unconditional love. Here in these verses from 1 Corinthians 13, one clearly gets the idea that love is NOT about self.

"Self" often acts for its own profit, and seeks its own with a "puffed up" ego. According to this chapter, charity does none of these. Longsuffering and kindness are factors of this love. Charity bears all things with hope and endurance.

Without love, mankind is nothing.

It's a covenant love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God; the term necessarily extends to the love of one’s fellow man.

Dr. Constable dubs the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians as the supremacy of love. "Love is the most fundamental and prominent of these graces. The love in view is God's love, that He has placed in the believer by the indwelling Spirit, that should overflow to God and others." (p. 153)
An over flow of my morning tea opened my eyes to the reality of a cuppa chari-TEA. Overflowing of love is a good thing.

Disclaimer, I added a little tea to the saucer so that you could see it & get the idea.
Not the first time such a spill has taken place---but now it has meaning.

Sipping a cuppa chari-TEA allows love for God and others to spill over into life, just as the saucer for my morning brew caught the overflow and drips from my cup. That's what our charity needs to do......splash all over others and cover them with love.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: A Wedding Weekend

9/16/12 Whirling from one event to the next, New York came to town to be a part of Stephanie and Ryan’s wedding.

From “Up on the Roof" at Metro 67......

River Reflections

Floral Reflections

Mother-of-the-bride "to be"

Engaged tonight---tomorrow starts a new life chapter

.......To the sanctuary of St. Mary’s

The long walk to give away his precious daughter

The vows---may they remember "love is patient, love is kind, love does not seek its own, and love endures all things....(1 Corinthians 13)

The Kiss

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Gillin

....to the historic Cadre Building

Celebrating "Southern" roots with upscale BBQ compotes, cones of fried goodies from okra to hushpuppies, and even Memphis' "Now famous cheese ring" with its requisite strawberry  preserves---yet served in a pastry shell.....plus dancin' to the music of the "SoulSations---mighty fine!

Sister of the groom and the best man, Ryan's dad

Flower girl with her grandaddy

A book of well wishes, Memphis style