"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another" (Rom. 10:12, NKJ)

God and I seem to be on a theme lately. Does God ever do that with you, show you lots of things that all relate to the same subject? For me, God's been showing me a lot about love: what it means, how it is expressed, the way He loves me, and the way He wants me to love other people. I came across this verse last week, and was struck by both the simplicity of the words, and what it might look like if it were truly carried out.

"Brotherly love." When I saw this, I immediately pictured my younger brother. He's 18, in college, and one of my favorite people in the world. I love him in a way that I love no other. I care about his wellbeing, but it's more than that. I don't only care about his needs, but I also care about his desires. I enjoy spending time with him just because he is who he is. We don't hang out because I want to influence him or change him, or because I think he's cool (though he is), or because I think it's the right thing to do, or for any other reason than the fact that, with all the depth and all the simplicity of a sister, I love my brother. But this verse says that this is the kind of love that I am to have for my brothers and sisters in Christ. God has adopted us all, and not only made us His children, but also given every believer a host of spiritual brothers and sisters, which we are to love just as much as our natural siblings.

I love the words "kindly affectionate." To me they convey the idea of, not a distant love or silent good regard for one another, but of a warm, caring, embracing, expressive love. In the Good News Bible, this is translated, "Love one another warmly…" It is a love not only felt in our hearts, but expressed in ways that make it easy for the other person to know that we love them.

I checked out a couple commentaries, and found these excerpts from Albert Barne's Notes on the Bible to be particularly helpful for me.

Rom 12:10 -
Be kindly affectioned - The word used here occurs no where else in the New Testament. It properly denotes tender affection, such as what subsists between parents and children….

With brotherly love - … The apostle Paul in this place manifests his unique manner of writing. He does not simply enjoin brotherly love, but he adds that it should be kindly affectioned. It should be with the tenderness which characterizes the most endearing natural relationship. This he expresses by a word which is made for the occasion (φιλοστοργοὶ philostorgoi), blending love with natural affection, and suffering it to be manifest in your contact with one another.

Isn't that cool?!

For me, this verse has been a huge challenge to truly love my brothers and sisters in Christ, and to try to find ways to express that love in ways that are specific and easily understood. I don't know, but maybe it will challenge you, too, to love others with the love that Christ has lavished on you.

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