Loving People
Romans 12:9,10 Your love must be real. Hate what is evil. Do only what is good. Love each other in a way that makes you feel close like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honour than you give yourself.
Have you ever prayed, “Lord, show me someone whom I can help”? But then God puts this dysfunctional, annoying misfit in front of you, so you go back to Him and say, “No God, not like that. Someone nice.”
“Love” is an easy word to say, it’s an easy commodity to consume, but it can be much, much more difficult to give, to pour out, to do for other people. We all want to be loved, but mostly, we’re a bit lazy when it comes to giving love.
Giving love, living love … what exactly does that look like?
Let’s say it’s cold out there and you have a nice warm coat. You meet someone on the street who clearly can’t afford a coat, so you give them yours.
Or someone you know is struggling to make their next car payment but instead of saying, “Well, I’ll pray for you, friend,” this time, you write the cheque to meet the payment.
Or there’s this guy who, by the way, has never been that very nice to you, you never really liked him but today he’s completely alone. So you invite him home for dinner. Or …
Hang on a minute! That’s all just a bit over the top isn’t it?!
Give away your coat? Make the car payment? Invite that guy over for dinner? I mean, what a load of rubbish. Who came up with that?
Romans 12:9,10 Your love must be real. Hate what is evil. Do only what is good. Love each other in a way that makes you feel close like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honour than you give yourself.
So might I ask you, gently but very directly, whom has God put on your path to give you the opportunity to love? Hmm?
Your love must be real.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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