Romans 12:9-13
Verse 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
We continue with Paul’s teaching the Roman believers about what it meant to love each other. This passage is similar to the love list he sent to the Corinthians so we know he knew it would work in many different situations and cultures. While he may not have known his letters would make it this far into the future we can know the Holy Spirit meant these words for us too.
By starting this list with how love must be sincere we know things haven’t changed over the years and they were just as apt to pretend to love others as we are. This fake love can show itself in many different ways and we have mastered most if not all of them. We know how to smile and give the basic pleasantries in the few moments we interact with them but we allow that to be the extent of our interactions.
To truly live out the love we are commanded to give each other we need to be more intentional and actually put some thought and effort into it and that may mean talking on a slightly deeper level with those we don’t normally interact with. Of course that means we need to take an interest in something other than their view on the weather.
To have more things to talk with them about means we should probably get to know them a little better. If we learn what they do for work or the kinds of hobbies they have, the next time we talk to them we will have a starting point for conversation. Of course, to find those things out we will need to ask them and actually pay attention when they share.
There is one thing we have to remember though, and this may be the hardest part of loving others, if we want them to be vulnerable with us, we need to open ourselves up to them. We can’t expect them to start telling us about themselves if we are going to be tight-lipped about our own lives. Sure we don’t have to tell them our whole history or the things closest to our heart in the first two conversations but unless there is a give and take in the new relationship, we will never know the full joy of loving those in our Church family, or being loved by them in return.
Making It Personal
Who don’t you know much about in the Church family? Why haven’t you tried to get to know them? What are you afraid they may learn about you?
Making It Personal Kids
Are there people in the church that you don’t know well? Have you ever tried to get to know them? Have you let them get to know you?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for giving us a church family to love. Help us learn to love them through building relationships that go past skin deep. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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