Love is a Verb!

Love in Action

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
In chapter 12 Paul turns to practical matters.  He starts out the chapter by saying, "Therefore in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice which is pleasing to God.  Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  Paul is saying in effect if you really understand God's grace for you offer your life back to God in this way. Paul is not giving them a new law, but a prescription for a new life inspired by God's mercy. Paul synthesizes this change of life by explaining what love in action looks like.   
First, Paul says love must be sincere.  This assumes love could be insincere.  Sincere love is genuine and not contrived.  Next, Paul says to hate what is evil.  Rarely does the bible say to hate anything, but here Paul says to hate that which is evil.  Sometimes we are intrigued by evil and even dabble in it, but Paul says, "hate it"! 
Then, Paul explains what love looks like in the Christian community.  Love starts with putting another above yourself.  It is dying to my needs, so I am more available to meet your needs.  We need to honor each other.  The opposite is to dishonor someone, which can often happen through gossip.  If we are honoring our brothers and sisters, we will always trying to figure out how to lift them up and make them look better.
Paul says make sure to keep your zeal and spiritual fervor.  I would intepret this to mean that we need keep our passion for God alive and not be a "ho-hum" Christian.  It is interesting to think that one of the ways I love others in the body of Christ is to keep my own spiritual life vibrant.   Paul uplifts several character traits as the goal for every believer.  We should seek to be joyful, hopeful, patient, faithful and prayerful.  These are all signs of spiritual maturity and come through the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.  
Finally, Paul teaches the Roman believers to be aware of the needs in their own community. Those who have much should share with those who have little.  The strong should bear the burdens of the weak.  There should be a spirit of hospitality among the believers.  Nothing says love like good hospitality.  Basically this is someone saying I care enough about you to make you comfortable and taken care of when you come into my home. It is being a good host as Jesus was a good host and made sure the wine did not go out.  It is a great way to show God's love to believers and non-believers alike.  
As you can see all of these instructions Paul gives are very practical.  There is nothing terribly complicated or confusing about these directions.  As he starts the chapter he gives us the motivation to live this kind of life.  He says, "In view of God's mercy".  In view of God's mercy to you, be merciful to others.  In view of God's grace to you, be gracious to others.  In view of God's patience with you, be patient with others.  God never asks us to do something he hasn't already done for us.  
As you can see you don't need a Ph'D to understand what Paul is saying. Love is not a concept, idea or theory.  Love is an action expressed in a community of those who have received the greatest love the world has ever seen.  Do you think people in the world might be looking for this type of community?  Just saying.   

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