Dealing with the Sounding Brass - A Useless Gain: Tuesday, 4/3/25



 Start your day with God’s Word! Read today’s devotional for encouragement and wisdom.

By Rt Rev Christian Ajuonuma PhD JP. 


Theme: Dealing with the Sounding Brass

Topic: A Useless Gain

Text: 1Cor 13:3


"If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing" 


Giving is honourable, rewarding and praise worthy but when we give Al we have without unconditional love in our heart, we gain absolutely nothing. The giving of palliative today is a godly venture that yields much fruits to the church and any institution that does it. Individuals, NGOs and government agencies all get involved, some are absolutely with pure motive. Yet Paul reminds us today what is greater than palliative. Let's give people "Genuinely Unconditional Love" which has no hidden attachment. We shall enjoy our good reward.


1. Every genuine giving must be motivated by unconditional love. God gave us an example when he gave us Jesus his one and only son John 3:16. Unconditional love is "Agapao" (a Greek word). It's first among other types of love: stergo (family love); Philo (friendship love); Eros (sexual love), etc. God is wiser than men! He knows the motive of love in our heart! Let's be genuine!


2. Unconditional giving is the nature of God. "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" 1John 4:7-8. Those who use giving as a means of personal gain without showing genuine love, plays on God's intelligence and will surely gain nothing! 


3. Specific mention of giving "all that I possess to the poor" and "surrender my body to the flames" was a historic experience of the early church when the poor in the society were cared for (Acts 6:1) ; believers in Christ were burnt at stake and someone could offer to die for another. Paul, if he were to be alive today, will still describe such an enormous sacrifice, if it has no love as "a useless gain". Let's do the first thing first by showing genuine love to ourselves and neighbour! 


Prayer: Oh LORD, thank you for your word; may it's heat melt me, it's hammer break me and may its fire consume every impurity in me, that I may from today demonstrate genuine love for useful gain both for today and eternity in Jesus name.


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