Romans 12:10-13, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Our family has had the honor to be a part of God's plan in the lives of some friends of ours. The dad of the family is going through some medical problems and has faced two brain surgeries in two weeks at the time of this blog. It has been so amazing to watch God draw this man to Him, humbling him through affliction, bringing him to prayer and reading God's word with his wife as they search for answers and comfort for what is going on in their lives.

Yesterday I was visiting him at the hospital and he was telling me about all the people in his life who are coming forward to love him and care for him and his family. This man has always been a strongly independent person who often did for others but almost never allowed anyone to do for him. In the past few weeks, neighbors, friends, and family have stepped up for child care (they have three small children), and for financial support (they are both self-employed). They have received offers of sending the kids to a day camp free of charge and a major world wide corporation based here in Phoenix has offered to pay his medical bills. The result? He was brought to tears as he told me of this and overwhelmed.

The Holy Spirit surged through the room as we talked and prayed about what love really looks like between the children of God. How their friends were "devoted" to caring for him and his wife during this time, "honoring" him through service and financial assistance. How the love that believers are to have for one another is more than just the love of good friends. It is the to be the same kind of committed and self-sacrificing love that family members have for one another. This love should be so strong among believers that it is obvious to everyone!

As if God had given me the script ahead of time, my friends asked me "What should I do?" in regards to all that was being done for him. The answer? "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer". Be joyful in knowing that God has a special plan for each of us, that he loves us. Be patient in his affliction. Ask God to make it obvious what he wants us to learn, how to respond, whose life's might be touched. Be faithful in prayer. Keep seeking God through prayer and his word.

That's what love looks like....

Philip Johnson