The command is simple to say, but not so simple to live out. Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesus went so far as to command us to "love your enemies" and "pray for those who persecute you." He went on to teach that in doing this we are acting like our Father in heaven who reached out to us and offered us grace even while we were still enemies to Him.
My daughter drew the picture to the left. I found myself immediately trying to correct her regarding the missing "r" rather than being amazed by the fact that a 7 year old intently sat through a class for 40 year old married couples and walked away having learned about "grace." I shook my head and looked at her and said, "never mind, keep it like this, it is beautiful." Each one of us is like this picture, beautifully flawed, so how will we respond to each other?
The Challenge:
Spend time reflecting on 1 John 4:7-21.
Determine who the enemies are in your life and pray for them.
Contemplate what you are taught about them and yourself during those prayers.
Other Scriptures for study:
Matthew 5:43-48
John 13:34-35
1 Peter 4:8
In Him,
Aaron
