Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
(Romans 12:10 ESV)
How can we outdo one another in showing honor? What does that even mean? The 19th century Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard once wrote about this topic, “Yet the true love is love for the neighbor, or it is not to find the lovable object but to find the un-lovable object lovable.” When you contextualize what he wrote, he is saying that loving one another is showing honor where no honor is deserved or warranted. Rather, it is loving somebody who should normally be unlovable.
I believe this has immense implications for us in the 21st century, after all we know so many unlovable people, us being included in that bunch. However, being loved by God despite our unlovable nature means we are loved and should share that love.The Apostle says we should love beyond our lovable-ness and other people’s lovability, and instead to love beyond the lovable and honor people who would have otherwise been unloved.
Simply put, instead of passing by the person we deemed unlovable because we’re so busy, we should bestow upon them the same love Jesus poured out unto us when we were most unlovable. Who do we need to love today?
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