Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.
– Romans 12:9-10
I have come to the point in life where I appreciate really good acting. When I was young I would watch a movie of show simply because the story caught my interest. Now I am just as likely to watch something based on who the actors and actresses are. A couple who come to my mind are Anthony Hopkins and Michael Caine. They are exceptionally talented in playing diverse roles. Of course there are others, and surely you have a few who come to mind. The point is that their talent in playing a role is what draws our interest.
Whether on stage or on film, the ability to play a role is a great asset. In real life, however, we don’t tend to like actors. We prefer people to be genuine. We appreciate people who don’t put on a front for others. Such tendencies, when brought to the surface, strike us as being fake. Of course, many people embrace the freedom to be genuinely harsh, cruel and rude. Their so-called defense is that they are just being honest. In life we will meet both pretenders and the genuinely unkind, and neither of them will ultimately be endeared to us.
The apostle’s words encourage the church to pursue a relational posture that is genuinely good. It is “love without hypocrisy.” Hypocrisy is acting. The meaning comes right out of Greek culture. People in the day of Jesus knew exactly what He was talking about when he told them not to be hypocrites. A hypocrite was an actor, someone who put on a mask to play a role. In our world, exhibitions of love can potentially be hypocritical. They may look or sound loving on the surface, but down deep they are driven by selfish motives. If you don’t believe me, ask a seasoned husband if he has ever demonstrated loving actions toward his wife that he ultimately hoped would turn out for his own benefit. An honest man may not want to answer such a question; the “love” turns out to not be so admirable.
Paul wanted the people of the church to love genuinely. He repeats for emphasis by saying “be devoted to one another in brotherly love” and “give preference to one another.” These point toward what the Bible holds up as true love. It is sacrificial love, love not compelled by self interest. It is costly love, love that would lead one to lay down his or her life for another. If you hear something there that resonates with the Gospel, good! You have heard the expression “tough love.” Well, this is a different kind of tough love. It is love the calls a person to die to self so that we can live for another. Yes, it is the love that we are called to have for Christ, which is only logical since that is exactly the love He demonstrated to us. But it is also the love we are called to have for one another. This is the kind of love that makes the church look strange to the world.
Do I love like that? Naturally I would like to think so. It would make me feel so good about myself! The truth is, though, that I am still in the process of being made perfect in the love of Christ. As someone in the Wesleyan theological tradition, I DO believe I can get there, and I will get there by God’s grace. In the meantime, my hope is to increasingly reduce my need for the actor’s mask. I don’t want to yank off the mask and let everyone see the unloving person God is redeeming; I want God to change me so there will be no more need for the mask. I want every action that appears loving outwardly to be the product of a heart that is genuinely full of Christ’s love. Then I can prefer others above myself. Then I can love like Christ.
“Change my heart O God, make it ever true.
Change my heart O God, may I be like you.”
– Eddie Espinosa
See you along the Winding Path.
