DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONALS: APRIL 1ST. MORAL QUALITIES OF CHRISTIANS
The world seems being depleted of moral qualities these days. Moral qualities talk about standard of what is right. “Moral” implies conformity to established or sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong. There are so many moral qualities every Christian should have. We have these qualities in form of love, humility, kindness, generosity, patience etc. Our devotionals will capture all the above qualities in series.
LOVE.
Scripture reading: Matt 5:43 -46; GAL 6: 9
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;” (1Cor.13:4,7). Christians see patience as an important quality of love; it takes into account the limitation and weakness of humanity. Love also hope for good in everyone. A mother’s love reveals this quality. If a child rebels, and all others give up hope on him/her, the mother will keep praying and hoping and most often, her prayer are answered!
R. A. Torrey left home as a youth to escape the mother’s prayers, he was determined never to have anything to do with Christianity; he claimed to be an atheist. He believed he was a maker of his own destiny. But everything went against him, in a state of desperation, he decided to commit suicide. It was at that point that he encountered God and got converted to Christ. Torrey returned to bless his mother who had so faithfully prayed for him. He became one of the world’s greatest Evangelists.
Patience is love that suffers long, bears all things, believes all things, hopes in all things, endures all things. Love gives a person the ability to be patient when everything goes wrong. The power to keep cool when others lose their equilibrium comes from patience.
LOVE IN ACTION
Great men tend to be kind. It is little people who do mean and uncharitable things. Kind people do not willingly hurt others. Love does not envy. Jesus taught that the value of our life is not in the abundance of what we possess (Luke 12: 15). It takes love in action for human being to make others enjoy the fruit of his/her labours. In the ordinary, an average human being tries always to outdo each other. The instance to outdo each other and the relentless drive for status results in frustration and nervous breakdown. Showing love to people is generosity in manifestation which is often lacking today. These days, people love only those who love them and hate those who hate them, which ought not to be. In John 3: 16, is seen that God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten son. He loves us unconditionally, not minding our level of rebelliousness. In His loving nature, he provided a way of escape from our sins and salvation of our soul through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. We should therefore, learn to emulate the life of God in our relationship with people.
Prayer:
Oh God my father, grant me the grace to love like you.
Love is patient and kind, help me oh God not to give up easily on people.
(revpatienceudenyi@hopealivechurch
