Practical Living in an Impractical World: Genuine Love. Romans 12:9

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” ESV

Many translations of this verse, as seen above, write this text in the form of a command. There is nothing wrong with that even though there are NO imperatives in the sentence. Literally, it is written as a matter-of-fact statement, “The love unpretentious.” In that sense then, genuine, unpretentious, unhypocritical love is the focal point of this chapter, even the entire Bible. Whether you are showing your love for GOD or your love for your fellow humans, our love must be honest. One of my favorite things to do at any playground is the Teeter-Totter. Sometimes it was fun to be the one who could hold the little kid up in the air and watch him kicking and yelling to, “Let me down!” It gave me a sense of power. Of course, as a scrawny little runt of a child, I was usually the one left up in the air; too high to jump off but not heavy enough to teeter the totter down. But that fun, of course, was one-sided and very unkind. The mutual fun was found when you achieved the perfect balance point. The people on either end could then be able to rock that teeter-totter up and down with a little push of the legs. Both participants would then enjoy the ride. It is also NO FUN to sit on a teeter-totter alone. I am convinced that the life CHRIST wants us to lead, is a life of spiritual balance. I don’t find any Scriptures which call for radical militant fanaticism on the one side, or apathetic insincerity on the other. Neither is genuine love for GOD. Neither is genuine love for each other. Neither is balanced. To find balance, do the math. HFG+AE=GL. Holding Fast to what is Good along with Abhorring what is Evil equals Genuine Love. Our prime example of unpretentious love is JESUS HIMSELF. Psalm 100:5 “For the LORD is GOOD; HIS Steadfast LOVE endures forever, and HIS Faithfulness to all generations.” The cross proved HIS sincerity. The perfect example for us all.

Russell Ashby