Verses 9-11 are Paul’s prayer for the believers in Philippi; they are my prayer for myself, my children and grandchildren, and all future generations. The way the world defines “love” and the way God defines it is very different. The world’s love is often for self-gratification; God’s love, on the other hand, is a love of sacrifice. He does what is best for us even when it might be hard for us to hear, do, or understand and we might want to reject Him for it. We need His knowledge to know how to love our neighbors—it’s being compassionate and unselfish, but not a blind acceptance. God calls us to a sacrificial love that speaks the truth in a way that demonstrates our desire for them to know God the Father intimately through Jesus Christ. It’s easy to get caught up in the world’s interpretation of being loving. Praying for His knowledge and discernment is necessary for us to know how to guide souls into right relationship with Him.
