Let the Love Flow
1 Peter 1:22 You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart.
So much of the vitriol that swills around the arena of public debate emanates from a deep-seated, prideful belief that “I have to be the one who’s right.” You can’t pick up a newspaper without reading about one group hurling insults and criticisms at the other.
Of course there is such a thing as objective truth; objective right and wrong. Consider the often-vicious debate between those who are for women’s so-called “reproductive rights” and the pro-lifers. It’s ugly … but objectively speaking, how can it possibly be right to take the life of an unborn child?
Yet all too often, arguments are fuelled by pride … my ideas, my beliefs have to win the day over yours. And for me to win, you have to lose. That’s how it plays out.
What’s really ugly though is seeing Christians beating others over the head with God’s truth. Sad to say, way too many of God’s people do exactly that … and how can that possibly be right?
Writes the Apostle Peter to some terribly persecuted 1st Century Christians …
1 Peter 1:22 You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. Now you can have true love for your brothers and sisters. So love each other deeply—with all your heart.
By all means, live your life out in purity, obeying God’s truth, even with the rest of the world raging against you. But do it with love; love for those who agree with you and love for those who don’t. Because truth without love isn’t just ugly … it’s plain wrong!
So love each other deeply—with all your heart.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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