Make a Difference with Love

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2 NKJV

One of the things I hated as a child was a conditional promise. So you want something and you can only get the desired item on the condition that you fulfill some requirement. That was not always a bad tradeoff but sometimes the conditions could be really bad. You find yourself agreeing to do something you absolutely don’t want to do, because it was the only way to get what you wanted.

Here, the Apostle Paul wanted to ask the community to engage in a particular action. But, he just didn’t blurt out his request. Instead, he began with some if then statements. He said, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ.” The MSG version says it this way, ^“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ.” You see, as a community of believers, they should have evidence in their lives demonstrating that they belong to Him. Paul began with a broad statement but with each statement, he began to close the circle. Each statement demanded a higher level of commitment from the believers. You see, the masses say that they follow Jesus but there is no evidence that His love has made a difference in their lives.

The walk of faith is a personal walk that leaves footprints in the sand; when Christ’s love makes a difference in your life, that love will impact your life. This is the message the Apostle Paul wanted the community of believers to understand. So he made a request:  “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” The Apostle Paul understood that if their love was genuine then they would be able to do what he requested.

While Paul requested this activity, this is the expected outcome from walking with God. God is love! 1 John 4:16 NLT says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” That message is just as relevant today as the day Paul made his request.  As people of faith, we all should strive to live in love because God is love.

Thought for Today: Friend, follow Christ and walk in His love.

Have a blessed day and walk in faith and victory.