Faith, hope, and love, the greatest of these is . . .That’s the modern translation of a quote by a holy man.
I’ve been thinking about that quote on and off for a while. I don’t know how long. It could be days, months, maybe years. It comes. It goes. I think of it. I don’t know what brings it to mind particularly. I do know this. In my case, the holy man didn’t get it right. There is no one of the three that is greater than the other two.
For me, they can’t exist without each other.
I need all three in equal measure.To choose one is to say one season is greater. One part of the day is not more important. One heartbeat is not more vital. No part is greater than the whole. Not for me.
Faith, hope, and love belong together, intertwined as one.
I have faith in you. You are my hope and my future. I love you.
Faith, hope, and love. I give them, and they come back to me. All three together.
—me strauss Letting me be
8 comments:
Or
You are my child, I struggle to have faith in you right now, I don't hold out much hope that you will change, but I still love you.
Hi Cheryl,
Yeah, I've had those days too. Or maybe I have faith I won't kill you. I hope you live until your next birthday. I love it when you're sleeping. :)
Liz
There is a say that goes like this:
Normally people express gratitude for what they already got and hope for something good to come while the enlightened expresses gratitude for both.
:-)
Hi Yos!
So nice to hear your voice. Ah, but how many are enlightened and how many wish to be so, and how many don't even know they are in the dark?
smiles,
Liz
Faith, hope and love are amazing things, all necessary to live a fulfiling life, but I think those must be tempered with a dose of logic and reality. I don't mean it to sound negative, but with only faith, hope, and love, one can really get taken.
(By the way, sorry, I didn't get a chance to write back to your response to my first comment on your blogpost about choices.)
Atul,
You don't sound negative. You are right you need logic, reality AND a little magic to magic the whole thing work. I have no problem with your adding to the mix. That's what conversation is about. . . . :)
smiles,
Liz
The quote is from the Bible, actually, and comes from one of Paul's letters (1 Cor.13:13). Taken in context, it becomes clear that he is saying that the other two, without love, are without value. Yet love is valuable even if not in company with the other two. There is wisdom in this.
Hi Gone,
I know the letter. I've read it many times. I don't know that I agree with Paul. It's hard for me to think of faith and hope without love. They feel hollow and useless. That's what I meant.
Liz
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