July 21: THE WAY TO HAVE MORE THINGS IN COMMON IS TO DO MORE STUFF TOGETHER.

Affirmation: I am connected to God, myself and others. 

Value your relationships and seek to create new ones. Make connections. Listen, learn and love. ❤️

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Ponder: Memorize Psalm 25:4-6. Make this your prayer today. Practice Psalm 25:4-6 each day… ask God to show you His ways, teach you His paths, guide you in His truth, & teach you…He is God your Saviour and your hope is in Him all day long. His great mercy & love are from days of old. May you follow God and learn His ways.

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from days of old. Psalm 25:4-6

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love. by Bob Goff

                       June 21

THE WAY TO HAVE MORE THINGS IN COMMON IS TO DO MORE STUFF TOGETHER. 

Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. 

MATTHEW 18:20 

When God laid out His vision for us, He didn't tell us just to be nice to each other. He told us to be a family with each other. He said even the people we don't like are brothers and sisters, and we don't get a pass on learning to love them. If you're like me, it's easy to agree with this but hard to live it out. 

One of the best ways to learn how to love people we disagree with is to do more things with them. You don't need to book a trip to Europe together, but maybe just get coffee down the street. Jesus' disciples didn't have much in common when He called them. Peter had a short temper and John was a sensitive soul. Some were tax collectors and sophisticated thinkers while others got their education on fishing boats. 

But when Jesus invited them to join His family, they were forced to learn how to love each other. They traveled together and shared meals. They didn't have a plan laid out. They went through storms together, witnessed Jesus' miracles, and experienced tremendous disappointments. Starting out, they didn't have much in common, but the more experiences they shared together, the closer they grew. 

Look around your community and find the people you struggle to love. Find something to do with them. Go to the blood bank together. Make them drive. Ask them a couple of questions and learn a few things about them. Invite them into your world and learn to appreciate the perspective they bring. Even if they're wrong. The more experiences you share, the more you'll find you were wrong too. 

God didn't tell us to put up with each other; He told us to love one another. Don't miss out on someone you've written off. Grab them by the hand and go do something. I bet you'll find they're worth your love once you do. 

Who are you going to do something meaningful with this week?