Devoted to One Another

 Today we’re looking at the other phrase in Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. ” Many people would say “Sure, I love my family! I even love my close friends – the ones in “our” group.  But what about “others” – “those” people?

Listen to what Jesus told a group of people in Luke 6:32-36  “Do you think you deserve credit for merely loving those who love you? Even the godless do that! And if you do good only to those who do you good—is that so wonderful? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, what good is that? Even the most wicked will lend to their own kind for full return!

“Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don’t be concerned about the fact that they won’t repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as sons of God: for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are very wicked.  “Try to show as much compassion as your Father does.”

Jesus came to reveal the “Forgotten Father” to the world. Until He came (and sadly,  even so today) most people thought God was vindictive, harsh, punitive and full of wrath for His “enemies.” 

“Not so!” Jesus said. “Love them! Do good to them! Lend to them! Be kind to them! That’s what God does and you’ll be like Him when you do those things to even the people whom you don’t like!”

This, of course, is impossible in our own strength. But when we allow Jesus to live His life AS us, we find ourselves acting in wonderful ways that we know don’t come from our own decisions.

Ask The Holy Spirit of Christ in you what He wants to say and do AS you today…especially with hard-to-love people. You’ll be amazed at what you find yourself doing! Maybe that’s why they call Grace “Amazing!”

–Check out my new novel, “Convertible Conversations,” where you’ll be inspired by great examples of people loving and serving “hard to love people!” ~Paul Gray

www.gracewithpaulgray.com/books