God Calls on Us to Love in Its Highest Form

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Love should be without hypocrisy, it must be sincere and from the heart.

Today’s devotional reading: Romans 12:9-21

When Jesus taught about love, He didn’t teach us that we should only love those who love us. If you think about it, it’s not hard to love those who love you back. It is so easy to love those who love you that everybody does that, including those who you may deem to be wicked! Even the most selfish and greedy person you can think of, will love those who love them in return.

God calls on us to live in a higher manner (Matt. 5:43-48). Jesus told us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to do good to those who hate us, and even pray for those who use us. In other words, we are to move with grace towards those who likely won’t show us grace. Why does God call on us to love in such a manner? Because He has shown the same grace to us in our day of sin.

Some of us believe that scripture calls on us to despise the sinner. Scripture calls on us to despise sin, and not the sinner. No, the sinner is one who is sick in their soul, and in need of a doctor. It would be a hateful act for us to leave them by the wayside, rather than help get them to the doctor for help (Luke 10:25-37).

Our love should be without hypocrisy. It is certainly possible to despise sin, while loving the sinner, and helping to lift them up. This is the highest call of the Lord.