Jesus Showed Us How to Love
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, show me how I can demonstrate love to the various individuals I meet. Amen
READ:
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.” Luke 6:27-29, 32 NIV
“As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”” Mark 2:14-17 NIV
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:16-18 NIV
REFLECT:
Several years ago, I read a book called Lead Like Jesus and today’s devotion focuses on being able to love like Jesus. Reading through the Gospels we see how Jesus was a model for 1 John 3:18. Here are a few examples of how he put love into action across the whole spectrum of the society in which he lived.
1. Showing Compassion to Woman Caught in Adultery- John 8:1-11
2. Conversing with a Samaritan Woman- John 4:1-38
3. Healing a Public Official’s son- John 4:46-53
4. Staying with a Tax Collector, Zacchaeus- Luke 19:1-10
5. Healing a Roman Officer’s Servant- Luke 7:1-10
6. Healing a Widow’s Son- Luke 7:11-16
As you can see in the above sample list, Jesus showed love and compassion across a wide spectrum of people regardless of who they were or the criticism he received.
APPLY:
Take time to read through these Scriptures and note the actions that Jesus used in showing love to these various individuals. From what you learn from observing Jesus, develop your own model for showing love to various people with whom you interact on a regular basis.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, give us a rallying point around your grace. We need that point of focus, our times being as they are . . . and our moods so given to change. Thank you that Christ loves us and keeps on loving us. Thank you that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Thank you that the grace that saved us keeps us saved. Amen. (Charles Swindoll Prayer).
WORSHIP: