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Don’t Pretend to Love

Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other.

—Romans 12:9-10

None of us likes to be patronized or scammed. When we’ve been duped into a false hope, or even a false love, it isn’t much fun.

Do we ever pretend love, though? Sadly, even the best of us fall into that less-than-loving trap from time to time. We do it when we strive to accept strangers that we find off-putting or to adjust to family members who are on a very different track than we are in the ways they handle life. We might pretend to love them more than actually loving them as Jesus would.

Our goal, though, is to love each other authentically, like family members that we adore. We want to honor and respect each other so much that we come together with a spirit of love and put wind in one another’s sails. We want to give more than we receive and offer our hands and our hearts to act for the good of those around us.

We’re not always aware of someone else’s motives, but we are aware of our own. As much as possible, be ready to deliver the real thing. Love your neighbors as yourself.

Be authentic in your love and actions for others.

QUIET THE WAVES

Lord, help me always be real and operate with full integrity around others. Help me honor you in the ways that I act in any given situation. Amen.