Romans 12:9

“Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous.” (Romans 12:9 TPT) Truth is vital if we are to enjoy loving relationships with God and others. So much of what we call love is clouded by self-protection, avoidance, fear of loss and the negative judgments from others. How can we hope to love others and honor God if our behavior is masked with falsehood? We must despise evil and wholeheartedly embrace what is good and virtuous! Only as we abandon ourselves to the love of God and the truth of scripture can we hope to find the strength to cling to that which is good, virtuous, genuine, and to resist the temptations and evils of this world. Heavenly Father, help me to walk in genuine love with you, enabling me to rise above the fear of man. Help me to despise what the evil and all that would compromise my testimony with others and my walk with you. Help me Holy Spirit to hold fast to that which is good, that I may draw closer to you, nurture my soul, and strengthen my relationships with those that I love. --George Stahnke, Devotional 02.01.2023