Insightful Love

Philippians 1:9-11 "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

One of the greatest characteristics a Christian can allow God to produce in them is love. Christ's assessment of the law of God being boiled down to the two most important consisted really of one vital characteristic; love. One cannot have a life modeled after Jesus without it. One cannot expect to engage God without it. One cannot have make a difference in others without it.


We, however, too often make love about what we see in the movies; all sentiment, gushing emotion, and reckless abandon. Paul does not see the kind of love that represents the nature of God in Christ this way. Rather, he prays for the Philippians to have love that is full of knowledge and discernment. A love that distinguishes between righteous and unrighteous fruit. 


Paul's prayer offers a "circle of life" perspective. As we are filled with insightful love, we are able to distinguish between righteous and unrighteous fruit. Then we can allow God to prune away the unrighteous leaving room for growth in insightful love which in turn produces more righteous fruit. The love of God is a love that requires action. "If you love me you will obey me." But, by loving God, the Holy Spirit produce the fruit that allows us to obey Him. He never asks us to obey without giving us the power to do so!


Love, in God's economy, is abandon; just not reckless. It is sentiment; just not sentiment only. It is gushing; just not without thought. 


Father, let us grow more and more in love that is insightful and produces righteous fruit!