Romans 12: A Place to Love

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly 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 God’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 everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  -Romans 12:9-18 NIV

Sometimes, I think the world does a better job of assessing our love than we do.  If they will know we are Christians by our love as the old song goes, what kind of love is the world seeing from us?  I fear we have become almost as consumed with self love as the world.  People float in and out of different churches as if the relationships that were built there are expendable. That's not love.  That's treating church as if it a restaurant where, if the service or the food is bad, you don't return.   "I'm not getting fed there." I hear people say by means of explaining their absence.  Fed?  Church is not there for our consumption.  It is there for fellowship, for relationship.  It is there because it is Christ's body, with all of it's imperfections.  It is the place where we rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.  Where we share our joys and our sorrows.  It is the place where we get to practice love as demonstrated by Jesus and the Word.  It is a place where we can be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.  A place where we share, where we practice hospitality.  It is not a place where we receive, it is a place where we give...a place where we practice what it means to love.