Day 9

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)

The second greatest commandment: “Love others as you love yourself.” (Matthew 22:39). Why is it that we so often fail to do this? To view others with the same attitude and mindset that Jesus had. We are all sinners. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. Yet sometimes we act as if we are better than others. Why is that?

We are told to love one another as we love ourselves. To lift one another up so that we may glorify our Father in Heaven. This can be a difficult task at times, especially during the holidays around certain people who just seem to know how to get on your nerves. But when this happens, I challenge you to think about how Jesus might respond in the situation. Would He be zoned out, rolling his eyes, and scratching his head? Or might He be patiently listening, ready to offer any loving advice He could?

Patience, kindness, love, joy, peace, forbearance, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, are all fruits of the Spirit that we should be sharing with others whenever we engage in conversation. I challenge you to listen and respond like Jesus would. You never know how much it could mean to someone, especially Your Father in Heaven.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, fill our hearts with Your boundless love, teaching us to see others through the lens of compassion and understanding. May our actions be fueled by kindness, our words by encouragement, and our thoughts by empathy, as we strive to reflect Your unconditional love in our daily interactions. Help us to love others as You love us, selflessly and without reservation. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.