Reflections 6/5/2020: Seems like Paul could have ended this thought at “I pray that your love may abound more and more.” But no, he adds on “with all knowledge and discernment.” Those are the grids through which mature love needs to flow. “Knowledge and discernment.” What exactly does that mean God? Hmmm… maybe the measure of love isn’t how gushy and good it feels to express it. And maybe it isn’t always the seemingly nicest way to interact with others. It might have an edge of correction for the very reason that we love that person enough to want the best for them. “Knowledge” requires a larger look at the whole person to determine what is best… the willingness to truly know them. And “discernment” is cranking up the lens of the microscope to perceive the less visible details of what is driving that person. A much more labor intensive kind of love. Perhaps this is Paul’s way of describing what John calls the marriage of “grace and truth.” Gentleness that is informed by veracity. Boy do tend to err on both ends of this spectrum! One or the other! Help me to reunite this couple that too often seem irreconcilable in their efforts to love.