And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, - Philippians 1v9
It is obvious when we read books like Philippians that Paul had a great love for the people he ministered to and with. When we read Philippians we really sense that deep abiding love.
As he mentions the things that he prays for regarding them his first request is that their “love may abound more and more.” He knew the importance of love. He also knew that love was the solution to the problem of divisions in the local church that he will mention later. If love were not abounding, and abounding “more and more,” the issues could never be dealt with.
I don’t know if “disclaimer” is the right word here, but Paul does say something here to balance out this abounding love. He adds to the abounding love the words “in knowledge and discernment.”
The abounding love that Paul talks about here is not silly, careless emotionalism. He is talking about solid Biblical love. This is a love that is based on making a decision to love and then doing so. Love that abounds in knowledge and discernment does not ignore faults, flaws, and sins. This kind of love loves enough to risk hurt feelings and emotions to lovingly correct and chasten. This kind of love is not blinded by emotions.
May our love indeed abound more and more. But may it abound in godly knowledge and discernment.
1 comment:
I love it when I read something that Paul prayed for the churches. I figure if it was important enough for him to bring before God, then it's a good thing for me to pray for my peeps too. Like you said, this kind of love has discernment and loves enough to point out the need for change knowing that even though it might HURT to hear, it will NOT harm the other person--in the long run it will HELP. I think on the flip side, this kind of love also discerns preferences over biblical principles. I can love and have fellowship with my brother even if he has different preferences than I do--because they are just that, preferences.
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