Genuine Love - A Moderator's Reflection for Uniting News

by Moderator, Rev Bruce Moore

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Romans 12:9

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.”
Romans 12:10

In a world increasingly marked by division, mistrust, and self-interest, Paul’s words to the church in Rome sound both simple and revolutionary: “Love must be sincere.”

Paul is not speaking about sentimentality or mere kindness. The word he uses points to something authentic, genuine, without pretence. Genuine love is not a performance. It is not a strategy. It is not offered only when it is convenient or reciprocated. Genuine love flows from hearts transformed by Christ and shaped by the Holy Spirit.

The challenge for the church is that people quickly recognise the difference between love that is proclaimed and love that is practised. They know whether our welcome is genuine. They notice whether our concern for justice is real. They experience whether we honour one another, particularly those whose voices are often overlooked.

Paul's instruction comes immediately after his call for believers to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). Genuine love is not simply a personal virtue; it is the fruit of lives being continually reshaped by the grace of God. It is the visible evidence that Christ is alive among his people.

In Luke 12, Jesus warns against storing up treasures for ourselves while neglecting what truly matters in the kingdom of God. He reminds us that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions, status, or achievements. Rather, life is found in relationship with God and neighbour. Genuine love directs our attention away from ourselves and towards the wellbeing of others.

For us as the Uniting Church, this is an important reminder. We are called to be communities where people are honoured before they are judged, listened to before they are corrected, and loved before they are expected to belong. Genuine love creates spaces where reconciliation can take root, where diversity is welcomed as a gift, and where our covenant relationship with First Peoples is lived out with humility and respect.

This kind of love is not always easy. It requires courage to resist what is evil and cling to what is good. It requires persistence when relationships are strained and patience when change comes slowly. Yet it is precisely this kind of love that has the power to renew communities and bear witness to Christ in the world.

As we move towards the 39th Synod and continue to pray for renewal across our church, perhaps this is where renewal begins—not with grand programs or ambitious plans, but with a renewed commitment to sincere love. For when love is genuine, Christ is made visible.

May we be a people devoted to one another in love. May we honour one another above ourselves. And may our life together point beyond ourselves to the One who first loved us.

Prayer

Loving God,

Renew our hearts with your Spirit. Remove from us all pretence and self-interest, and teach us to love as Christ has loved us.

Help us to cling to what is good, to seek the flourishing of our neighbour, and to honour one another as members of your body.

May our congregations, agencies, schools and communities be known for sincere love, deep hospitality, and faithful witness.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Rev Bruce Moore, Moderator