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When I Love Am I Choosing the Best Option?

So that you may approve what is excellent
Philippians 1:10a

A certain group of boys were going to do something they should not do. One of the boys resisted the pressure of the group and said he would not do it. They teased him saying, “he is such a coward, he is afraid that if his father finds out then his father will hurt him.” The boy replied, “No, I am only afraid that if my father finds out it will hurt my father.”

How we love person determines the decisions we take with regard to them. We saw in our studies last days that Paul wanted the Philippians to have a deeper love and at the same time wished that they had the right perspective. To have the right perspective Paul prays that the Philippians may love with knowledge and discernment.

Now why does Paul pray that they love with knowledge and discernment? He prays for a reason. It is for a purpose. The verse taken for today’s meditation helps us to understand the purpose. So that you (the Philippians) may approve the things that are excellent.

The word approve really is the idea of choosing what is best. And in this context it is choosing what is best in regard to loving others. So, in simple terms it is choosing what is excellent in loving others. When we consider loving others, it is usually not a choice between good or bad. It is usually a choice between good, better, and best. And excellent here is a synonym for best.

Paul is saying, “I am praying for you that you will best know how to love one another.” In our love towards another sometimes we need to give words of encouragement. Sometimes we need to come alongside and help someone complete a task. Sometimes we need to let them do it on their own so that they can learn from this. At other times we need to be long-standing and patient. At other times, there needs to be a quick confrontation, and to bring to their attention something.

These are all different types of ways that we are to love one another. And Paul does not want us to love one another with what is good or what is better. Paul wants what is best, what is excellent in loving others. The idea that he wants to convey is not merely that we distinguish between good and bad but what is good, better and best. We need to be able to approve, to distinguish, to sort through all these different options and ways so that we can approve the things that are excellent.

Dear Friends, is this what are prayers are made up of? That we pray for one another for having the right knowledge and discernment since we are surrounded by all kinds of people and all types of situations. Some are up while others are down. Some are in the process of mending whereas others need to be broken. And in such situations more than desire we need discernment. More than interest we need insight. More than passion we need perception to know how to love others. May our good Lord help us in this process.

God Bless you.

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Location: Oddanchatram, Tamil Nadu 624619, India

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