True Love

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1 Corinthians 5:6) 
 
A few years ago as I attended a church retreat, I sat at lunch with ladies I did not know. The woman in charge opened with prayer and then introduced an icebreaker to share around the tables. The question was: “What do you think true love is?” Six out of the eight of us at my table said that love is unconditional acceptance. Their definition included the ability to accept people right where they are, no matter what they look like or what they do. The seventh woman said that she thought love was telling people the truth about sin and where sin leads them. I heard the others snicker at her answer. However, according to Paul’s statement in First Corinthians 5:6, only one in seven got the right answer. 
 
The Corinthian church was accepting sinful behavior from a church couple and glorying in their ability to do so. Paul is saying that this is not good; this is not love and they should not be proud of themselves for accepting this couple’s behavior. Often we get confused of what love really is when judging others’ sins. We do not want to judge others because we ourselves want to be accepted for our imperfections. So we say that acceptance of sin is love. Jesus says in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The truth is that sin destroys. The truth is that the wages of sin is death. If we truly love others, we do not want to see them destroyed by choices that the Bible calls sin. Paul then takes it a step further by saying that the consequences of accepting this sin of sexual immorality will permeate the whole church and will destroy the whole fellowship of believers. Why? Because this acceptance allows people to sin instead of helping them to overcome it. It demonstrates the wrong standards of love, sin and the ways of God. 
 
Our choices and behaviors really do impact others, just as a little bit of leaven makes the whole lump rise. We have to know the Word of God so we can love others according to God’s standards. True love speaks out with kindness and compassion, not allowing others to destroy themselves. 
 
What truth today! The key to this devotion is true love speaks out but what’s so important is how love speaks out, with kindness and compassion. To often we try to impact people and situations without kindness and compassion. We must dig deep into the Word of God as today’s devotion says so we can love others according to God’s standards. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love (Ephesians 4:2). Is there someone in your life today that can use some truth in love about sin and where that sin is leading them? Eternity awaits all of us and once we die, the judgement, there’s no turning back, no changing our mind once we are standing before Him, wouldn’t you much rather lead those in love now while you have the opportunity? Look to God to guide you with kindness, compassion and honesty because that’s what True Love is. 
 
Have a beautiful day in The Lord! 
 
Today’s Reading is Hebrews 4:16