“Transformation Through Genuine Love”
Romans 12:9 NLT-Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT- If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
What I am about to share is very hard for us to hear, but it is what the church needs today as a reality check. The one place people should experience love and compassion the most is sadly too often the one place where people feel the most criticized, hurt, rejected, judged and shunned. This is a heartbreaking, terrifying truth and it should serve as a huge wake-up call for us who claim to follow Christ. How have we managed to stray so far from God’s intention of what the church should be?
So many people have been turned off and continue to be turned away from ever darkening church doors because of people who claim to be Christians, but do not genuinely love one another. This breaks my heart and I’m guilty as charged as well. I know this makes many of us squirm, but it is the tough pill of truth to swallow. We should be all about God’s love.
Throughout my years of life, I have lived many places and attended many churches. Out of all of my years in the church, both volunteer and paid ministry, I have noticed a common problem that comes up frequently and it is the issue of genuine love getting pushed aside while petty differences take over. I have seen so much hurt in the body of Christ through the years and it breaks my heart because God wants us to work together to be united to love one another.
Paul explains that we can be busy doing so much for God, but if we do not do so with love, then it’s all for nothing. Love must be the root of all these things we do in service of God’s church. If we have not love, we’ve completely missed the point.
The world is desperate to see us living a genuine love for one another and not just claiming to love God and love others. Love must be our mission. Genuine, authentic, real love that comes from God and should shine through us as believers.
Don’t just pretend. Really love people genuinely.
Weekly Devotional Blog Site www.zwdevotions.com