Love/Hate

Scripture: 1 John 4:11

When was the last time you hated on someone? Maybe you made fun of their outdated outfit or busted looking shoes? Or maybe you judged them based on the car they drove or the neighborhood they lived in? We’ve all done it before, haven’t we? 

But when we think about this tendency to hate on people in light of the call of this verse—to love one another as God loves us—there’s a tension. Because God loves each of us unconditionally. He doesn’t care where we come from, what clothes we wear or how nice our cars are. He simply loves us for who we are. And He calls us to extend that same love to others. To drop the hate and instead, choose love. So, who in your life are you struggling to stop hating on right now? Ask God to help you see that person with His unconditional love this week.

Scripture: Proverbs 10:12

Fact: Conflict is inevitable. In friendships or relationships with other people, at some point, you’re going to find yourself at odds with one another. The good news is, conflicts don’t have to be the end of the story. When we respond to conflict with hatred or harshness, it will only make matters worse. 

When we choose to lead with love, we’re taking steps to not only squashing the conflict, but righting the wrongs and building a better relationship going forward. And how do you lead with love? By owning your part in the conflict. Seeking forgiveness. And being generous in the way you think about the other person. Who in your life do you find yourself in conflict with right now? Go to them and see what you can do to resolve it! Watch how this simple shift of choosing love makes a big difference in making peace in your relationship.

Scripture: John 15:13

The greatest expression of love ever known was Jesus willingly giving up His life for us. It was the biggest sacrifice and a reminder that love isn’t easy. Real love requires something of us. It costs us something. Maybe it’s time, or money, or your interests for the sake of someone else’s. Maybe it’s a change in your opinion or schedule. 

Whatever it may be, as Jesus modeled for us when He willingly died to demonstrate how BIG God’s love is for us, real love often requires us to give up or set aside something of our own for the sake of someone else. It isn’t always easy, but every time we make sacrifices in the name of love, we can remember the sacrifice Jesus made for all of us and let that motivate us to keep moving in the direction of love. This week, find a way to love a friend in your life. Whatever it takes, show them that you care!

Scripture: 1 John 3:18

When was the last time you told someone you loved them? Sometimes the words come more easily than others. But they carry a lot of weight, don’t they? Saying, “I love you,” is so much more than just words. It’s backed up by action. Jesus didn’t just say, “I love you;” He showed us His love with His life in how He treated people and ultimately how 
He died. 

We never have to question how God feels about us because He backed up His claims with action. And He calls us to love others in the same way. So the next time you tell someone you love them, think about what that means. Go beyond just the words, and find a way to show them with your actions.

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22

When you were really young, you probably didn’t swim in the deep end of the pool on your own. Why? Because it was scary. You couldn’t touch the bottom, and if you didn’t know how to swim well enough to stay afloat on your own, that made the deep end terrifying. Love can be a lot like that. 

One of Jesus’ followers, Peter, said in a letter to the early Church that love needs to be sincere, deep, and from the heart. Which is exactly what God’s love is like. But, trusting it can kind of like jumping in the deep end of the pool. You can’t touch the bottom of it. You might even be scared to fully jump into it. But when you do, you’ll find what you need to stay afloat. Pray and ask God to help you see the places where trusting in His love is hard to do. Ask Him to show you where He wants you to lean deeper into His love. Pray that He would help you trust Him to jump in fully with Him. 

Scripture: Psalms 141:3

Here, the author of this psalm asks God to set a guard over their mouth. Sounds extreme, right? Maybe. But, how many times have you looked back with regret on the things you’ve said? How many times have you wished you’d used a better filter before you spoke? How many times have negative and hurtful things come out of your mouth and it was too late to take back? In some cases, a guard over our mouths doesn’t sound all that bad! 

The truth is, our words have power. And the sooner we recognize that, the sooner we’ll pay closer attention to the words we say. If our words are thought out, guarded, and held up against God’s standard of what our words should be, we’ll choose and use them more carefully. So ask yourself, with God’s help, how can you be more careful with the things that you say?

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23

In this letter to the Thessalonians, Paul asked that God would make them holy. That word simply means to be set apart. In other words, as believers and followers of Jesus, there should be something about us that is different from how the rest of the world works. And not just at church. Paul is talking about our whole selves. 

The person you are at all times—at practice, at work, at school, at home. Who you are in all spaces and places in your life should be so marked by God’s work in you and God’s love in you that people stop and notice and see you as set apart. So, the question is: Where do you need God’s help with holiness? What space or place in your life needs you to be a little more set apart and consistent with what God says is true about you? Identify that area of who you are and ask for God’s help to work out His holiness in that place in your life this week.

Scripture: Proverbs 12:18

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you saw the impact of a kind word? Maybe it was something encouraging or nice that you said to someone else that meant a lot to them. Or maybe it was something someone spoke to you that stuck with you. Either way, you know the power in positive words. 

The writer of this proverb says words can literally be healing to other people. So why be reckless with our words? Why not pay more attention to the words that come out of our mouths? If what we say to or about others has the power to impact their lives for the better, wouldn’t we want to offer that to them? Wouldn’t we want the same offered to us? Think about the people in your life right now. Who do you think could use a healing word from you? This week, make an effort to use your words wisely by speaking love and life to that person.

Scripture: 1 John 1:7

Have you ever found yourself in a situation or circumstance where you felt completely and totally alone? Like you’ve been left in the dark to fend for yourself? If you have, then you know just how much difference even a little light can make in those circumstances. 

Jesus compared Himself to light. And in this letter, one of Jesus’ disciples, John, reminds us that Jesus is light and encourages us to walk closely with Him. Meaning, the more time we spend with Jesus, living as He lived and following what He taught, the more we become like Him and walk in light ourselves. And that means we are never alone, and we have a God who will show us the way and illuminate the darkness around us. Are there places in your life that you feel alone? Spaces where you could use the light of His love? Ask God to bring His light to those places and show you that, with Him, you are not alone.

Scripture: Colossians 3:2

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Whether you realize it or not, how you spend the first moments of your day impacts the way you live the rest of it. So, what if you started your day by following the wisdom of this passage? What if you made the decision to set your mind on the things of God each and every day, first thing? Maybe that means starting each day setting your intention on loving your family better, encouraging your friends, or building others up to recognize God’s love for them. Maybe it means spending your morning in prayer or listening to a new worship song. Or maybe it means giving yourself the time to talk to someone you trust about what God is doing in your life right now. 

Whatever it looks like for you, make the commitment to set your mind on the things above every day this week, and watch how it changes the way you live the rest of your day.

Scripture: Colossians 3:23

Have you ever had a chance to see the world through a pair of different colored sunglasses? That simple switch has the power to change your entire perspective on the world around you! The same can be true when it comes to our faith. Perspective, or how we see things, matters. Our lives are full of demands put on us by school, work, and family. And it’s easy to see those things as keeping us from doing what we were made to do or want to do. 

In this letter to the Colossians, Paul encourages us to see ALL the work before us as part of God’s call on our lives. And when we do this, our perspective shifts. We suddenly see even the “have-to’s” in our lives with more purpose, love, and meaning. This week, pray that God would help you see the world through His filter. Ask Him to change your perspective so that you are motivated by Him rather than 
the world.

Scripture: Matthew 14:14

Scripture tells us that Jesus was an incredible miracle worker who had the power to heal those in need. When we read stories of the things He did, it’s easy to get caught up in those dramatic moments. But just as important as the physical healings Jesus performed, was the compassion He showed for people who were the socially outcast, lonely, and in need of belonging. And that’s something we can participate in here and now. 

When you choose to be a friend to someone who’s lonely, or offer a kind word to someone who is hurting, or speak up for someone who doesn’t have a voice, or help someone in need—that’s compassion, and it’s a kind of healing too. Healing isn’t always a matter of making sick people well; sometimes it’s about using what you have to offer—the love and peace of God—in the midst of brokenness. Today, identify a way that you can bring peace, help, and healing into the life of someone you know who’s in need.

Scripture: Romans 13:10

All of us have people in our lives we struggle to get along with. And whoever that person is for you, when it comes to showing love to others, they fall extremely low on our priority list. After all, why would we make the effort to show love to someone who wrongs us or annoys us over and over and over again? 

In this letter to the Roman church, Paul tells us that love does no wrong to anybody. Even the most difficult people in our lives. Sometimes love for the people it’s hard to love isn’t big and dramatic. Sometimes it’s as simple as making the decision to do no wrong to them in return. To choose peace, and honor, and respect over hate. It won’t always be easy, but with God, it certainly is possible. This week, ask a trusted mentor or Small Group Leader how you can work to choose love with the difficult people in your life.

Scripture: Romans 12:15

When was the last time you felt left out, on your own, or just plain lonely? Now what about the last time you felt complete and total joy, excitement, or happiness? Either way, isn’t it true that the presence of a friend makes the moment better? What’s difficult feels a little more manageable, and what’s amazing, feels even better. 

That’s because, as Paul reminds us here, one of the best things we can do for the people in our lives is to show up with and for them in all seasons. Whether things are good or bad, it’s our job to be present in the lives of those we love. In the best circumstances, our presence can add to the celebration. And in the worst, our presence can offer much needed encouragement. So, ask yourself: Whether they are in good or bad circumstances, who is one person you know is in need of a friend right now? What’s one thing you can do to show up for them this week?

Scripture: Luke 7:13

One of the most amazing things about Jesus is that He never ignored or dismissed a person in need. During His ministry on Earth, Jesus took time to truly see the pain of other people—whether it was physical, emotional, or mental. Here, when Jesus saw this woman’s suffering, He stopped to empathize with her. He cared for her and comforted her. What’s so great about moments like these from Jesus’ life is that they remind us not only of how we should notice and care for others, but how Jesus notices and cares for us as well. 

Before we can care for others, it’s important to recognize how deeply Jesus cares for us. Take a moment to write down the things that are weighing you down today. As you do, remember that God cares about what you care about. When you are hurting, God is paying attention. Take comfort in that today.