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.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Romans 12:9-18

How great would this world be if everyone followed the instructions found in Romans 12?  Would there be all the strife in the world?  Would people be constantly on guard against others taking advantage of them?  Would distrust and skepticism be as prominent as they now are?   This passage reveals how God has designed us to live.  People will doubt and say Christians are dreamers but it is possible to live this way.  Jesus showed us that it is possible.  

It is great being a Christian! We have hope that others do not. We have hope for a better tomorrow in spite of all the distractions and disappointments this life brings.  We have hope for a life eternal that is better than any joy we may find even in the best of blessings in this world.  This is a gift from God through His grace and His love.  When we practice the love that is preached in the gospel, our sincere love for God will show through to others.  They may not understand, they may even look at us as a bit kooky, but they will know we have something they do not.  If they should ask, we need to have the faith, courage, and love to let them know in a gentle and respectful way the reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15).  That reason is the love of our awesome God.

So let’s pledge to ourselves and to one another today that we will live our lives so that we show our Christian love in action.  The world may beat us down for it, but it cannot touch our hearts or our minds or our souls if we have love for God in our hearts.   As we all together practice putting our love into action, the fruits of the Spirit will grow within us individually and as a Christian family.  As a brother recently told me, it is Christ and the hope and joy found in Christ that unifies us.  It is God's Spirit that when infused into our time and communication with each other allows us to grow spiritually.   Through God’s grace and love, and our faith in that and our love for God and one another, we can be the lights of this world God wants us to be (Mark 5:14-16).