Whenever I see the word love in scripture, I'm interested in what kind of love is being discussed. Our English language is often insufficient to express original meanings, so I check a Greek dictionary and see that this is the love that characterizes God and that should characterize His children as well. It is a self-giving love without hypocrisy, without pretending. It is to be sincere.
So I ask myself today, first and foremost, do I have a self-giving love for others? And, then, am I being hypocritical as I give of myself to others? Am I sincere in my love toward them? Is it about me, or is it about them? Do I do what I do or say what I say out of a desire for their best interests, or for my own? It's easier to see the faults of others, yet I sometimes find myself being hypocritical and insincere as well. I really do need to check my motivation if I want to have a love that characterizes the God I love. Self-giving and sincere, without hypocrisy.
Painting ~ Gossiping, Daniel Ridgeway Knight 1839-1924
