OUTDO IN LOVE

Hi !

I’ve been reading a Christian novel by Gary Smalley, The Dance, and in it a character said to another, “outdo” yourself in love.  That word got me curious and here is the verse I found:   Romans 12:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

A good direction for us to take, don’t you think?  Paul is talking about belonging to the family of God and how to behave.  I think this kind of godly love will also work for the unbelievers with whom we live and witness. 

Seems to me it’s a two-part directive for living – a directive that depends on God’s supernatural love and power living in us.  Our natural nature is too selfish to live in such a way. 

Directive One – Love one another with brotherly affection.  How do I do that? John MacArthur offers this possibility: Be lovingly loving with one another with loving love!  Redundant or is that the supernatural, godly way to treat others? I saw an ad on TV recently for a restaurant that caught my attention: “When you’re here, you’re family.”

This is a good motto for us…when you’re in my home, my car, my church, my Bible study class…my presence – YOU ARE FAMILY.  As believers we are given many instructions about how to treat family, Hebrews 13:1 (NLT)  Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters, is a good example.

John 13:34-35 (ESV)  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵ By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 John 3:18 (ESV)
¹⁸ Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

We are talking about loving others the way Jesus loved us and others…supernatural love.  This kind of love is more than having warm feelings – it is having a loving attitude that is shown by our actions.

Loving the way Jesus loves is not always convenient; it requires giving when it hurts; devoting energy to others’ well being; it also means absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back.  THIS KIND OF LOVE IS HARD TO DO…that’s why people notice it when we love that way.

Family love – action love -  also allows for weaknesses and imperfections; it communicates; deals with problems; affirms and encourages; and has a strong commitment to others in the family.  Sure am glad I am not expected to love this way without His help!

Directive Two – Outdo one another in showing honor. 

To “outdo” means to go beyond in action or performance. We are directed to go BEYOND the ordinary when we are putting others before ourselves.  We are to value others and respect them. We are to do this because they are God’s creation; because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ; and because God, Our Father, values them.

The word “honor” literally means a “heavy weight.” It implies that we assign the greatest possible weight to a person in terms of respect by holding them in “high regard.” To honor someone is to measure his or her value on a scale and conclude that it is “heavy.” On the other hand, to “dishonor” means to treat someone as if they were “light or insignificant.” We’re called to prefer (favor, give preference to, choose) others above ourselves. The idea is that we will take the lead in showing the honor that is due to each other in the family of God.

Well, girls, we know what to do – the directions are clear. Let’s us be woman today, this week-end, for our lifetime…that Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Joyfully,

Yvonne