Be the real deal

Don't just pretend to love others.  Really love them.  Hate what is wrong.  Hold tightly to what is good.  (Rom. 12:9 NLT)

Probably the first thing you hear non-Christians say about Christians is that we're hypocrites.  This verse is asking us to be sincere, authentic, the real deal.  It's asking us to walk the walk.  If we really love others, it requires action.  It calls for us to be serving others, helping others, & lifting up others.  It requires us to be concerned for them.  And sometimes it asks us to have spiritual conversations that might make us uncomfortable & also to inconvenience ourselves. If we really want to help & change things this is where we need to start.  The second part of the verse tells us to know the difference between wrong & good.  It tells us to hate what is wrong.  I think this means to not just accept it but to stand against it.  Today there are several things that would fall into that category & they might trouble us but do they trouble us enough to stand against them. Even though we don't always hear about it as much, there is also a lot of good in the world.  Hold tightly to them.  Hold tightly to Gods word.  If we truly practice love, stand against wrong, & hold tight to good, great things can happen!