September 26, 2005

[Rev. Doc]

Love In Action

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
I Corinthians 13:13

Several years ago a bomb was detonated outside the huge oak doors of a Greek Catholic church in Jerusalem. The heavy doors were blown inward so that they careened up to the front of the sanctuary and destroyed the chancel area. Windows were blown out, pews were destroyed and the balcony collapsed.

Dr. Ken Bailey, a Presbyterian missionary scholar and friend of the priest of the Greek church, stopped by to assess the damage. It took little time to determine that the priest was in shock and unable to make necessary decisions. So Dr. Bailey took it upon himself to ask seminary administrators at the school where he taught to close classes and he invited students to join him in helping the priest. They cleaned the church and boarded the windows to prevent looting.

The next day, Bailey again called on his friend. The maid confided in him that the priest did not cry at the bomb's destruction. However, she added, "He did cry when you and your friends helped clean up the mess it made."

Dr. Bailey has since remarked, "I did not teach any theology that afternoon -- or did I?" If theology is about love in action, he held one of his best classes that day.

Prayer: Ask God for ways to share His love.

"Dare to love and to be a real friend. The love you give and receive is a reality that will lead you closer and closer to God as well as those whom God has given you to love."
~Henri J. M. Nouwen