January 13

”Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

There are quite a few versions of the bible, and in some this passage talks of love, hope and charity, rather than love. I find it interesting that the words charity and love can be equated, but I think it makes sense. Charity is about giving to others, about having something to share without the expectation of what will be received in return. I believe that to be the true sense of love as well, that it is also about what we have to share with others without expectation. In recovery, this same idea applies to service. For me, service is about giving back to the program which has saved my life. It is about keeping my group and fellowship healthy and vibrant, about sharing my experience, strength and hope with others to help them in their own journey. It is about giving simply because I have the capacity, and not because I expect any kind of reward in return. So love, charity and service all fall into a similar category. They are meant to be unconditional acts performed simply because one is able. They are about giving and not receiving. When I look at them together in this light, it is another way for me to help distinguish sex from love, something I have struggled with for many years. I am grateful for this new awareness and connection.

Affirmation It is true it is in giving that we receive, but that should not be the reason that I decide to give of myself. I share because I can, not because of any reward.