Major on the Minor

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 & 14:1, “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes (love), the partial (gifts) will be done away… Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts…”

In yet another miracle of God, my second book is imminently about to hit the market. It is titled “God Heals” and a scriptural breakdown of five things that are in spiritual play in every healing. All of which is backed up by real testimonies I have witnessed God create. And even as that book is about to come out, I can’t help but wonder why we all, myself foremost of all, major on the minor. Why do we, at least in the evangelical circles, get so hung up on miracles and gifts of God?

Just the other day I read a critical commentary on the modern church because of a lack of miracles, specifically miracles of healing. And yet scratch my head, because a miracle of healing is never the end. Think about it. Lazarus died and was raised from the dead… to what end? To die again. The paralytic was healed and walked… to like us all die.

This is not to say we should not “desire” gifts of healing and of the spirit as Paul wrote. But this is to put those things in their proper order and completely second to what Christ demonstrated, namely love. “Pursue” love Paul tells us. And more, that when perfect love arrives, all the other “stuff” will be unnecessary.

This miracle of love is what I want to see in my life. Just this morning my heart was broken as I desperately need it in my life. It has been great to see blind eyes opened, and I would not change that, but what I need is to find that place where I truly love in traffic, at work, in my home… everywhere I go. I want to see the miracle of love in my everyday life and trivial tasks. That is the miracle the world is waiting for. People that know Christ and walk in His love. 

So simple, but so difficult. Think about it. What good is it to pray for the sick and see them healed if a honk in traffic is returned with a bird... or worse? What good is it to preach to hundreds, even thousands, if at home harsh words are met with harsh words? "Wretched man that I am. Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24)