Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.

That one little line caught my attention this morning, which led me to the following from St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians.  This is a traditional reading for weddings, but I’m hoping that our political leaders take time to read this.  I am frustrated with all aspects of politics anymore and have sworn myself off of just about everyone involved in politics.  I am conservative by choice but have grown weary over the years hearing grown men and women belittling each other in order to show how “strong” they are.  In today’s political era neither side is right, no one can have a dissenting opinion and there is no compromise that is allowed.  Sorry about the rant, but this is what stuck out to me this morning after all of the politics of the week.  Here is that letter from St. Paul…

1 If I speak in human and angelic tongues^* but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.^a 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.^b 3 If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.^c

4^* Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated,^d 5 it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,^e 6 it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.^f

8^* Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. 9 For we know partially and we prophesy partially,10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.  11 When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.^g 13^* So faith, hope, love remain, these three;^h but the greatest of these is love.

Politicians, please pay heed to this…

Do something great for our Lord today – and our country – pray for peace; pray for our political leaders; pray.

God’s will, not mine, be done.

Be not afraid; just have faith.

Jesus, I trust in You.