Last night (Saturday) we continued our conversation on confidence and reminded ourselves that God has given us EXTRAordinary gifts on purpose (Romans 12:6). We ventured on in the chapter and read where we are not to pretend in loving others, that we are to really love em, that we are to love with genuine affection. We took a timeout and asked everyone to pull out the ol cell phones and call and or text the people in their life that has genuinely loved us. (Romans 12:9-10) If you were not able to be with us saturday go ahead and call and or text the people in your life that are loving you genuinely. 

 We even asked each other, how do we know when someone genuinely loves us, and the responses were varied and neat. Looking at scripture and our lives there must be times of “faking it” with each other, or Paul would not be reminding us to not to pretend in our love for one another. So how do we do this? Go on down and look at how Paul is pulling this together. 

 Rom 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. (remember v9…dont pretend) Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!   If you weren’t with us, go ahead and do s

 I love that piece of the verse where we are to live with each other in harmony. It has such a feeling of peace, sweet music to the ear. You can picture the strings in an orchestra all stroking the strings in unison as the conductor directs the timing. Yet the harmony is not achieved without some sort of conflict. I have stated often that in our relationships that if there is not the occasionaly friction then someone is lying (hiding) in the conversations. So that brings back in verse 9 where we are told not to pretend. YIKES…..but bivo…uh i…wait….what does this mean? hahahaha. Take yourself into the rehearsal room with the strings when they first sit down to play a particular piece of music. Their common goal is to create this harmony of music that will draw people into the symphony hall, yet no telling how many clunkers are hit as they learn the timing and rhythm of the piece they are learning to play.  The violinist hitting the clunkers (sour notes) can’t hide so play stops, grace given, techniques learned, timing reiteritated, and play continues until the harmony is achieved. Once the harmony is achieved guess what else happens? Yea, continued rehearsal and for us our rehearsal is our continued way of loving without pretending. We are letting others know exactly where we are in our relationships. Think of the folks that genuinely love you. 

 You have allowed them to love you, and you love them back, but i bet that through these relationships there have been times of playing stop, grace given, things learned and play continues. Sometimes our play (relationships) look different in order to live in harmony, this my friends I believe is what draws people to the Christ living in each of us. Extremely difficult to carry through with, so yet another reason for us to understand why Christ stated that He would give us a Helper. 

2 Cr 6:6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere (geniune) love.

beLIeVING the HIM in you, is what will build the confidence to keep making HIM famous by pouring out your special EXTRAordinary gifts!

love em up!