Philippians 1:9–10

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

Paul encourages them.

He affirms them.

He thanks God for them.

Then he stretches them.

“I pray your love would abound more and more.”

Not sentiment.

Not softness.

Not a sloppy tolerance that shrugs at everything.

Love that grows in knowledge. Love that sharpens in discernment. Love that learns to tell the difference.

Real love does not flatten all things into sameness. It distinguishes. It evaluates. It approves what is excellent.

Think of a jeweler studying stones on a velvet cloth. He does not waste time criticizing pebbles in the street. He studies brilliance. He turns a diamond toward the light. He trains his eye to recognize clarity, depth, fire.

That is how love matures.

Not by sin sniffing.

Not by constant critique.

But by excellence approving.

When you focus on what reflects Christ, even imperfectly, your appetite changes. You begin to hunger for what is noble. You start to see glimmers of grace in people you once overlooked. You glean from a teacher’s patience. You admire a parent’s steadiness. You learn from a ministry’s generosity.

Love grows where appreciation lives.

The word sincere carries the idea of being tested by sunlight. Held up to the light, nothing hidden. Nothing hollow. The more we approve what is excellent, the more our own lives become transparent and whole.

And without offence. Not tripping others. Not living in hidden compromise.

This is not about lowering standards.

It is about raising sight.

When you train your heart to look for what reflects Christ, you begin to reflect Him yourself.

Love that abounds is not blind.

It sees clearly.

And because it sees clearly, it chooses wisely.