Genuine means to ACTUALLY have the reputed qualities or character. It is sincere and honest. It is real and actual and true. It is free from hypocrisy or pretense.
Our love should be genuine. It should demonstrate the qualities we say we have and claim to live by. It is honest and sincere with others. It is true and real – not fake or just for appearances. Our love must be free to hypocrisy and pretense. We can not do things that run counter to the way we say we live and treat others.
Sometimes it can be hard to be truly genuine. You have to guard your heart from selfish motives. You have to watch your tongue so what you say is always true. You have to live a life that matches your words and associations.
Love cannot be hypocritical. Love cannot be just for appearances. Love cannot a pretense. Love cannot be dishonest.
Paul gives us a very succinct method for ensuring our love is always genuine. He says simply: Abhor what is evil and hold fast to what is good.
To ensure our love is always genuine we should always hate what is evil because if we don’t and we tolerate it will seep into our lives and corrupt our love. We should stay as far away from evil as we can. But to ensure we our hands don’t reach for it again we are told to hold fast to what is good. Let go on the evil that corrupts your heart and life and hold fast to what is good. Keep your hands and heart full and tightly gripping good things so there is no way evil can seep in and corrupt you.
So, how does godly love act? It is genuine. It lets go and disdains evil and instead holds fast to what is good. It does this to prevent itself from being corrupted and to avoid becoming hypocritical and false.
Love others genuinely. #LoveActs
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