I have been reading an entry in Thomas a Kempis' book "Imitation of Christ" in the mornings I come into the office. This morning it was an entry on "Works Done in Charity." Here is a quote from the entry:
"God weighs the love with which a man acts, rather than the deed itself."
It reminded me of what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:3, "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."
In a church culture that places a high emphasis on serving others and giving to the poor throughout the world, it is important to stress the motivation for such charity. Kempis correctly points out that God weighs the love more than the act itself. If we are giving to and serving others for self promotion or self fulfillment, we have missed the mark.
Charity is a way to show our love for both God and others. This should be our motivation. This is what we are called to do as followers of Jesus. Jesus, surrendered his body to the flames because he loved us. He did not surrender himself for his own good. His surrender showed all humanity the weight of his love for you and me.
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