Love in action
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
(Romans 12:9-10 NIV)
This section of scripture is called “Love in Action,” revealing that sincere love is not reflected merely in our words but in our interactions with one another. From this one verse, it seems like real love acts a lot like Jesus, thinking of others first and clinging to what is good. Looking at love through this lens, I see the conditional, pretend love that can far too easily manifest in my relationships – love that depends on how the other person treats me or my mood.
Real love, loving others like Jesus, isn’t always easy. It takes working through our natural response and choosing to respond with the other person in mind. Real love speaks the truth when it could be easier to say what the other person wants to hear. It can mean asking questions to get to the root of the other person’s perspective and motivations. The good news is that we do not manifest this love ourselves. We love, because God who is love, loved us first. Our capacity to love is much more than a natural response to a feeling. Our capacity is supernatural because we are children of God, and through the Spirit, God lives in us.
Prayer
Father, Son, and Spirit, thank you for including me in your life and love. May your love overflow into all of my relationships, and help me to choose actions that reveal your love. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.
Study by Michelle Fleming
First published on 8 July 2020 in GCI Update Devotionals https://update.gci.org
About the writer:
Michelle Fleming is an elder in Grace Communion International and works in the International Home Office in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA as Communications Director.
The Word of Life each Sunday is taken from ‘Speaking of Life’, (https://www.gci.org/videos/media-speaking-of-life/), a public resource video on the USA website of Grace Communion International.
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