The Alphabet of Christmas: C is for "charity"

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Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. [...]

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13, KJV)

Charity. Normally these days, one uses "charity" in the sense of helping out those who are in need, but I deliberately used the original King James translation, which uses "charity" in the sense of "love."

Yet, we still have a problem because the word love has become so diluted in meaning, and has been cheapened terribly. How else could it be used in a sentence like, "Oh, I just love American Idol!"? How frivolous to use a powerful and subtle word like "love" in such an inconsequential way!

Take a look at how the Bible defines love in this well-known passage: love is patient and kind, it isn't boastful or proud. Love is gracious and unselfish, love isn't irritable and does not assume the worst. Love does not promote sinful behavior, but loves the truth. Love can bear up under any stress, it believes even amid doubt, it keeps hope alive, and it keeps enduring through all trials.

We can have a likeness of this love in our own lives, yes, but none of us are capable of displaying it all the time. We slip and lose our temper, we forget and act selfishly, we get impatient and run right over people.

Jesus came to show us, personally, this great and wonderful love that comes from God Himself. Each and every day of His life, He showed us how very much His Father - the Almighty God, eternal, holy and righteous - loves the frail and sinful creatures who bear His image.

A Baby's outstretched hand, a hand which had voluntarily laid aside its rightful glory and omnipotence, revealed to us this tender, fierce and utterly devoted love. The powerful love of the omnipotent God, the knowing love of the omniscient God, the everlasting love of the omnipresent God - all wrapped up in the soft, fragile, helpless hand of the Baby born in Bethlehem.

Father, how wondrous are Your ways! To distill all Your power and faithfulness into human flesh, and to make such a glorious gift - ah, how amazing You are! Only You could have done something so unexpected, so crazily tender and sensibly improbable. Your thoughts are truly far above ours, and Your ways past searching out! Thank You for pursuing us through this marvelous Birth. Help us to trust You more and to gladly submit to Your loving hand so that we may be conformed to the image of Your Son. Let us celebrate His birth by living and proclaiming Your love and charity in all we say and do.

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