Ponderings of an always trying, always failing, always forgiven Christian.

I like the NLT translation of this verse.

It says:

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

“Take delight in honoring each other”. I once heard a pastor say “Just because I love you, doesn’t mean I have to like you”. I’m sure you can find a way to argue in favor of that, but I can’t say that with a clean conscious in my spiritual life.

If I don’t like you, it would definitely be hard for me to “love you with genuine affection”, or to “delight in honoring [you]“.

God, make this heart of stone into one of flesh that beats for you.