summum bonum

I was hoping to get this up the day before valentine's day, but it's never too late to think about love, right? of course right.

So I read this today, and It's one of those things you read when you go "Yes, yes, YES," so ofcourse I feel I have to share it here on my blog. It's so convienent with valentine's day and all. It was in a book so I don't have a link but I typed it out below:


The Greatest Thing in the World

           

            Every one has asked himself the great question of antiquity as of the modern world: What is the summum bonum--- the supreme good? You have life before you. Once only you can live it. What is the noblest object of the desire, the supreme gift to covet?

            We have been accustomed to be told that the greatest thing in the religious world is Faith. The great word has been the key-note for centuries of the popular religion; and we have easily learned to look upon it as the greatest thing in the world. Well, we are wrong. If we have been told that, we may miss the mark. I have taken you, in the chapter you have just read [1 Cor. 13], to Christianity at it’s source; and there we have seen, “The greatest of these is love.”

            It is not an oversight. Paul was speaking of faith just a moment before. He says, “If I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.” So far from forgetting, he deliberately contrasts them, “Now abideth Faith, Hope, Love,” and without a moment’s hesitation the decision falls, “The greatest of these is Love.”

            And it is not prejudice. A man is apt to recommend to others his own strong point---Love was not Paul’s strong point. The observing student can detect a beautiful tenderness growing and ripening all through his character as Paul gets old; but the hand that wrote, “The greatest of these is love,” when we meet it first, is stained with blood.

            Nor is this letter to the Corinthians peculiar in singling out love as the summum bonum. The masterpieces of Christianity are agreed about it. Peter says, “Above all things have fervent love among yourselves.” Above all things. And John goes farther, “God is love.” And you remember the profound remark which Paul makes elsewhere, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Did you ever think what he meant by that? ... If you love, you will unconsciously fulfill the whole law.

            And you can readily see for yourselves how that must be so. Take any of the commandments. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” If a man love God, you will not require to tell him that. Love is the fulfilling of that law. “Take not His name in vain.” Would he ever dream of taking His name in vain if he loved Him? “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Would he not be too glad to have one day in seven to dedicate more exclusively to the object of his affection? Love would fulfill all these laws regarding God. And so, if he loved Man, you would never think of telling him to honor his father and mother. He could not do anything else. It would be preposterous to tell him not to kill. You could only insult him if you suggested that he should not steal- how could he steal from those he loved? It would be superfluous to beg him not to bear false witness against his neighbor. If he loved him it would be the last thing he would do. And you would never dream of urging him not to covet what his neighbors had. He would rather they possess it than himself. In this way “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” It is the rue for fulfilling all rules, the new commandment for keeping all the old commandments,

Christ’s one secret of the Christian life

-Henry Drummond


let God show you the true love, His love.
and then show that love to others. love extravegently, passionately, without restraint. love selflessly, without expecting anything in return. let it consume you and give meaning to your day. because without it the day is wasted.