Can you have chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips? They wouldn’t be chocolate chip cookies any more would they? They would just be plain.
I have done something similar to this while making pancakes. I set out all of my ingredients that I needed for the recipe and mixed them all together and began to cook them. However, as I was cooking them in the pan, they didn’t “feel” like the normal pancakes that I usually make. They just weren’t turning out the same that they usually did. I suddenly realized what I had done: I forgot to put in the oil (or butter, I can’t remember which). Instead of nice, soft pancakes, they were turning out rather tough and stiff. They were more like bread than pancakes.
I could put in all those other ingredients, but when I forgot to put in that oil, they just weren’t pancakes anymore.
In the same way, you can do all sorts of things for others, giving to the poor, helping someone in need, but if you don’t do it with charity, it is of no profit for you.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Charity is benevolence, kindness, or brotherly love towards others.
For example, someone could see another person with a flat tire on the side of the road, and stop to change the tire for them, but not do it actually caring for the other person, like, “Good grief, don’t you know how to change your own tire?”
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
After all, who wants to receive a gift from someone who doesn’t seem like they want to really give it in the first place? If it is not done in love, it is no profit to them.
Jesus died not because He was forced to, but because He loved us. Because of Christ’s love for the world, we now have access to eternal life. Which is how we need to treat every one else: with love.
When we have charity towards others, it will be forgiving when someone makes a mistake. It will forget and move on when someone repents and asks for forgiveness.
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
Charity(love) will think about the needs of others. It will be patient, and kind. Whatever we do, whether it is making a cup of coffee for someone, or giving someone food or money, whatever it is, we need to do it with love.
In Christ,
Andrew
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