A wise friend told me to remember that “you will never meet someone Jesus doesn’t love”. Think about that. Take a look around you. Every person you meet, whether they are your best friend or the person who annoys you the most, Jesus loves them with the same incredible love with which he loves you. What does that say then for how we should treat each other?
Love is a verb. Love that is sustaining – deep love – is more than a feeling. Love is an action. Love doesn’t just “happen.” Love is chosen.
God’s call is clear to us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves”. This doesn’t mean we will like everybody, it doesn’t mean we’ll all get along all the time. What it does mean is that as much as you want to matter to other people, they want to matter too.
Easter – the greatest act of love! They will know we are Christians by our love. Love is always an action even when it isn’t a feeling. As Easter people we are empowered by the resurrection to love in bold ways. But do we truly understand what Easter love looks like?
Jesus’ life was defined by love and service, and God made us to love and serve others. You will never be more like Jesus than when you are pouring out your life in love and service to others. And you will never be more richly blessed than when you pour out your life for others for the sake of the Gospel.
Christians cannot afford to be ignorant, but knowledge can never be an end unto itself. Knowing lots of stuff, even knowing lots of the Bible does not make you a disciple. For maturing disciples knowledge always leads to action.
Spiritually, if you are not growing, you’re dying – and missing the best part of living in Christ. Our journey of discipleship begins when we are born again in Jesus Christ. The rest of our life is spent growing up, maturing.
During the season of Lent many Christians are very intentional about their faith walk with the Lord. Many enter into deliberate disciplines including prayer, fasting, worship, submission, repentance, meditation, and sacrifice. We seek to put more effort into our faith as we journey to the cross with Jesus.
