Love

 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.13.3.ESV

It's not enough to give away all we have. There's sometimes an expectation that people who make a load of money should give it away. If they do so with the wrong attitude however, their apparent act of charity is worthless.

If generosity doesn't flow from a heart of love, it isn't worth very much in the grand scheme of things. It's not enough to feed, clothe and shelter people for this life, when there's an eternity to come. Love inspired generosity doesn't simply meet people's temporal needs; it warns them of their spiritual needs that can only be met in Jesus.

It's not even enough to be martyred for the faith. Tradition suggests that even Paul himself was burned to death by emperor Nero. Yet if he didn't give up his life out of love for God, his martyrdom would be worthless.

If we're going to have to die for our faith, let's make sure it's out of love for the Lord, and not just some selfish desire to gain a greater reward. Paul seems to suggest that some of the martyrs die with wrong motives. Just because we're martyred for a profession of faith in Christ doesn't mean to say we necessarily truly love Him and will be with Him forevermore.

'Father in heaven, help us be generous and willing to die for You, but above all else to be defined by love. In Christ's lovely name, amen'

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