Lights flashing, noises blaring, everything trying to get my attention. For what? Why should I listen? Why should I watch? Why should I give one person or product more attention than another? What do you have to offer me that has true value? Behind the lights and sounds is there anything of substance? Is there anything that can stand on its own without all the fanfare? Without all the flashing lights and blaring noises, what do they have? Maybe that is all there is to life now. Hype, showmanship, polish and presentation all void of any depth. When you go beyond what catches the eye, what appeals to the ear and what engages the senses often there is nothing.

My phone rings, the person on the other end asks how I am doing but they don’t really care. Their words are just pleasantries intended to soften me up so that I will be more likely to buy what they are selling. I turn on my TV. A spokesperson yells at me. They have something they tell me I must buy. They’re excited, I should be excited, we all need to be excited. They want to make my life better but they really don’t care. I browse through my social media. Filtered pictures make everyone look young and healthy. Staged photos make life appear carefree. If you post the right picture or comment the “likes” pile up but do they really care? When you go beyond what catches the eye, what appeals to the ear and what engages the senses often there is nothing.

This is the life I live. Full of hype. Full of noise. Full of fronts. Full of distractions. Void of depth. Void of substance. Void of caring. Full of things that catch the eye. Void of things that touch my soul. Full of things that appeal to my ears. Void of things that transform my being. This is the world we live in. When you go beyond what catches the eye, what appeals to the ear and what engages the senses often there is nothing.

I went to church Sunday. Lights were flashing, noises blaring, everything trying to get my attention. For what? Why should I listen? Why should I watch? Why should I give the person or musicians on the stage more attention than other people? What do they have to offer me that has true value? Behind the lights and sounds is there anything of substance? Is there anything that can stand on its own without all the fanfare? Without all the flashing lights and blaring noises, what do they have? Maybe that is all there is to church now. Hype, showmanship, polish and presentation all void of any depth. When you go beyond what catches the eye, what appeals to the ear and what engages the senses often there is nothing.

My phone rings, person from church asks how I am doing but they don’t really care. Their words are just pleasantries intended to soften me up so that I will be more likely to give of my time and money. I turn on my TV. A televangelist yells at me. They have something they tell me I must do if I want to be blessed. They’re excited, I should be excited, we all need to be excited. They want to make my life better but they really don’t care. I browse through my social media and take a look at church posts. Filtered pictures make everyone look young and healthy. Staged photos make life appear carefree. If you post the right picture or comment about the church the “likes” pile up but do they really care? When you go beyond what catches the eye, what appeals to the ear and what engages the senses often there is nothing.

And yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.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. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Corinthian 13:1-7 (NIV)

Christianity without love is nothing