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

Romans 12:10

Over the weekend I spent a fair amount of time playing pickleball with my grandsons and after reading and thinking about this passage I have some thoughts about how playing sports with the kids presents an opportunity to teach and demonstrate what it means to be practically loving with others.

We live in a world that often seems driven by division. Everywhere we turn, there are voices urging people to choose sides, protect themselves, and put their own interests first. Sadly, that same spirit can sometimes find its way into the church and the pickleball court. But God calls His people to a different way of life.

Paul writes, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” These words are simple, but they reach deep into the heart. They remind us that the Christian life is not merely about right beliefs or good intentions. It is also about the way we love people.

Devotion is a strong word. It speaks of steady affection, faithfulness, and sincere care. This is not a shallow love that appears when things are easy and disappears when things become inconvenient. It is the kind of love that stays, serves, forgives, and gives. It is a love that reflects the heart of Christ.

And that is exactly what Jesus has shown us.

He said, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Jesus loved with compassion, patience, humility, and sacrifice. He moved toward people, not away from them. He cared for the weak, welcomed the overlooked, and laid down His life for others. His love was never empty words. It was living, active grace.

This kind of love does not come naturally to boys who are roughly 8, 10 and 12 or to most of us. Left to ourselves, we are often more concerned with being noticed than noticing others, more interested in being honored than in honoring them. Yet Paul calls us to a better way: “Honor one another above yourselves.”

To honor someone is to value them and to put their good before our own. It means choosing encouragement over criticism, kindness over indifference, and humility over self-promotion. What a needed reminder this is. In a culture that teaches us to seek recognition, the gospel teaches us to reflect Christ by honoring others.

This verse invites us to examine our hearts in every aspect of our lives. Are we truly devoted to others in love? Are we looking for ways to honor people, or are we quietly hoping to be honored ourselves? Feel a bit convicted? Me too, but remember the Lord never exposes our weakness to discourage us. He does so to transform us.