To celebrate the essence of CedarS, the active, unconditional Love on which it is founded, our camp community will strive to “Give and Receive Love—the greatest Gift in the world.” We will specifically focus on the apostle Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 13 to actively express the highest type of love—or agape in Greek.
This active love is demanded of every Christian follower and community. As used by Paul here and throughout the New Testament, agape springs from actively promoting and “desiring good for those you esteem.” Know that since you reflect God’s infinite love, you can commit to “LIVE LOVE INFINITELY!”
Paul lists these “Sweet 16” ways to love—with agape love:
- [Agape] “Love never gives up.” [So, I’ll never give up!]
- “Love cares more for others than for self.” [So, I’ll care for others ahead of myself!]
- “Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.” [So, I won’t be envious!]
- “Love doesn’t strut,” [So, I won’t boast!]
- “Doesn’t have a swelled head,” [So, I won’t be arrogant!]
- “Doesn’t force itself on others,” [So, I won’t be rude!]
- “Isn’t always ‘me first’,” [So, I won’t insist on my own way!]
- “Doesn’t fly off the handle,” [So, I refuse to get irritated!]
- “Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,” [So, I won’t get stuck on mistakes!]
- “Doesn’t revel when others grovel,” [So, I won’t be happy when others mess up!]
- “Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,” [So, I’ll be grateful when anyone does well!]
- “Puts up with anything,” [So, I’ll work through every problem with love]
- “Trusts God always,” [with confidence in God—]
- “Always looks for the best,” [always affirming the best is yet to come—]
- “Never looks back,” [—dropping the past—]
- “But keeps going to the end.” [and moving on to reveal God’s answers!]
( Cor. 13:4-7, The Message.)
Love is mentioned as a key ingredient in hundreds of other Bible verses, passages from Science and Health and from Mary Baker Eddy’s other writings, and Hymns, including Mary Baker Eddy’s poem titled “Love” (Brood O’er Us, Hymn 32). We invite each member of our CedarS staff family to find a favorite to share!
