Love Worth Sharing

Love Children

Children everywhere loved Mr. Rogers. He reminded children they are unconditionally loved just as they are. Like Fred Rogers, we can be the physical representation of Jesus’s heart for the children in our lives. Whether we work with children regularly or have passing interactions, let’s look for daily opportunities to assure them they’re special to Jesus.

Be a Servant

Our culture celebrates power, confidence, and take-charge personalities. But Jesus—who owns everything, is truly powerful, and has every reason to be self-assured—has never been arrogant. In fact, rather than expect his disciples to serve him as he prepared to die for them, he washed road dust from their feet. Regardless of our status, let’s serve others.

Be Authentic

Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changed to impress the Pharisees or to fit in with the tax collectors. Children often walk away from the faith of their parents because of perceived inconsistency and hypocrisy. Let’s help them see our faith is real. Like Jesus, let’s be faithful in private and in public.

Have Self-control

As God’s Son, Jesus could have whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it. And yet, when Satan offered instant gratification, Jesus turned him down. Instead of escaping pain, Jesus endured the cross to experience joy in the future. When we’re tempted to grab what we want or take the easy exit, let’s follow Jesus’s example of self-control.

Be Forgiving

When a person continually harms us or refuses to apologize, forgiving them isn’t easy. But Romans 5:8 says Christ died for us while we were still sinners. He understands how it feels. When we’re not sure we can forgive, let’s ask him to give us his immeasurable love for the person and the strength to choose forgiveness.

Help the Oppressed

Our world has come far in the past few centuries, yet problems like abuse and slavery remain. In Luke 4:18, Jesus told his followers he’d been sent to free the captives. If we want to be like Jesus, let’s champion those who cannot speak for themselves and stand up for what’s right.

Be Faithful

Should we give up on those who fail us? Second Timothy 2:13 says Jesus is faithful even when we aren’t. No matter how many times we fail him, Jesus remains faithful. His constant presence leads us to return to him. Similarly, our example of faithfulness may lead the wayward ones in our lives back to Jesus. Don’t give up.

Be a Peacemaker

While we can’t stop a physical storm as Jesus did in Mark 4, we can bring peace to a stormy situation. Our world is full of difficult interactions and differing opinions. We can fall into an “us versus them” mindset if we aren't careful. Rather than contribute to a disagreement, let’s look for ways to facilitate understanding and bring peaceful reconciliation.

Be Empathetic

John 11:35 says Jesus wept. Jesus didn’t mourn for his deceased friend. Jesus knew Lazarus would be alive in minutes, yet he cried with the devastated family members and their grieving community. He had empathy for his friends. People are hurting all around us. Let’s take time to experience life with them so we can connect them with Jesus.

See Past Appearance

Jesus looked past appearance to the hearts of those around him. John 7:24 encourages us to stop judging by appearance. While we can’t physically see past the outside, we can ask Jesus to give us his vision of people difficult to love. Let’s ask Jesus to help us ignore appearance and instead see everyone the way he sees them.

Teach Scripture

Jesus shocked his peers by teaching Scripture with authority. Wasn’t he just a regular guy, an uneducated carpenter? We may wonder if we’re qualified to teach the Bible without formal training, but knowledge of Scripture gives us the responsibility and authority to help others learn about God. Like Jesus, let’s learn God’s Word and teach it without apology.

Be Angry for the Right Reasons

When Jesus saw the temple turned into a marketplace meant to take advantage of worshippers, he flipped tables and sent the merchants packing. When we encounter blatant injustice, mistreatment of others, or disregard of God, let’s seek God for wisdom in how to respond with Truth AND Love in order to take a stand for what's right.