Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

We have some pretty great examples around us of “devotion” that brings forth life. Take a baby: a man and a woman come together and the wife becomes pregnant. Sometimes, this first step can take lots of effort and be full of trials. Then, the woman cares for this new life in her womb and the man cares for the woman and her new and unique food and other needs. And after months and months, the delivery day arrives. Delivery is so very painful for the woman that it requires a huge effort; nurses and a doctor come to help. And then there is an infant. And this infant will need care and nurture all the time at first, then less and less as this baby grows up. The good parents are DEVOTED to the baby, who turns into a child, who turns into a young person, who then becomes an adult. It is a long, very intentional process, with significant investment in this new life. One might say the couple exhibits extreme love, displayed in a long-term DEVOTION for this new life. There is a high HONOR that is given to this new life by its parents — it is worthy of investment, sacrifice, hard work, and perseverance through trials.

In the same way, we are commanded to be devoted to brotherly/sisterly LOVE for our fellow followers of Jesus. This is not merely a nice word or a smile on Sunday, it is LOVE WITH INTENTIONALITY & ACTION. It means if we can help, and we see an opportunity to come alongside another and love on them, mentor them, invest in them, or share with them our resources — WE DO IT! We do not neglect the brotherhood of believers! We are called to honor them above ourselves. So the question I must ask is what is currently getting in the way of me being more devoted to honoring and loving my brothers and sisters like I would my own child? Those God has put in my spiritual care are my spiritual children or my brothers, my sisters —ones who are to be dearly loved!

Thank you, Lord, for your Spirit, who allows me to accomplish this task, which seems impossible on my own. I tend to, left to my own devices, think about myself first. But you have MADE ME NEW and STENGTHENED ME IN EVERY WAY (I Corinthians 1:5-8) to be a great and devoted lover of people! Thank you in advance for those I can bless today with what you have given me.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke‬ ‭6:38‬)‬‬