5-7The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence. (The Message)
Love is what it is all about! It sounds so simple and we make it so hard because the simple isn't really easy. Religion is much easier if we focus upon the details and not on the reality of what love looks like when it is lived out everyday. Loving God as a focus in life means that we love God's people as well. The Bible says that you can't love God and not love his people and it would be so much easier if His people were always easy to love!
Paul starts out his letter to Timothy by reminding him of what is important. It starts with love and he tries to make it clear that there is nothing more important than love. As Paul encourages Timothy he also encourages us to have the same focus.
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- Have you ever met anyone who knows more about religion than they do about loving others? What were they like?
- What makes loving other people so difficult?
- In what ways does loving God make it easier to love other people?
- What can you do this week to focus more upon love in your daily life?
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