When to Turn Love into a Competition

August 25, 2016

Well, the 2016 Summer Olympics are over. All of the great competition from elite athletes from all around the world has come to an end for four more years. Sure, there will be world championships and other competitions, but it just isn't the same as the Olympics.

But I'm in luck! Because this week I get to invite you to participate in the Love Olympics.

Ok, there isn't such a thing. But because of this week's verse from Romans 12, I get to invite you to make love a competition.

Love as a Competition

Hopefully you remember that we are walking through Romans 12 here on the blog, discovering what a follower of Jesus looks like. This week we are going to look at verse 10, and it tells us to turn love into a competition.

Well, okay, it doesn't say that verbatim. Here is what it actually says...

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

In other words, Paul is saying to make love a competition by seeking to outdo one another in showing honor and love and brotherly affection. Think about that!

  • Imagine what marriages would look like if spouses were trying to outdo one another in showing honor to each other.
  • Imagine what your work place would look like if the employees engaged in a contest to see who could do the kindest things to fellow co-workers.
  • Imagine what a church would look like if the members sought to outdo one another in honoring each other through prayer, bringing meals, mowing each others' lawns, watching each others' kids, and more.

It would be amazing!

But in order for the games to begin, someone has to go first. So why not you? Why not be the one to kick off the Love Olympics in your home or at your work place? Become an elite Jesus-centered lover, who loves like Jesus loved, seeking to win gold at the Love Olympics, by putting others first.

Erin Bird Lead Pastor - Riverwood Church

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Riverwood Church, Waverly Iowa

We are on a mission to help people love like Jesus loved and live like Jesus lived.

It doesn't matter to us if you:

  • are a Wartburg student or a grandparent,
  • vote Democrat or Republican,
  • are married, divorced, or single,
  • have gone to church for years or haven't been to church in years,
  • make $100,000/yr. or wonder how you're going to pay rent this month,
  • or fear your past mistakes make you unlovable to God or others.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, we want to help you become who God has created you to be.

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