Listen

Those who say, “I love God” and hate their brothers or sisters are liars. After all, those who don’t love their brothers or sisters whom they have seen can hardly love God whom they have not seen! This commandment we have from him: Those who claim to love God ought to love their brother and sister also.

1 John 4:20-21

Think

More than ever, we live in a divided world. Whether we want to admit it or not, almost everyone hates someone. It might be the bully at school, someone from the other political party, the person who loves or looks differently than you. Even when we feel justified, there is no room for hatred.

When we claim to love God, we must follow God’s call to love others. There’s no separating loving God and loving others — they’re two parts of the same coin. God’s love is stronger than anything else, and we can share that love with others in our words and actions.

To bear fruit as Christians, we need to make peace, quit weaponizing God’s word, and stop excluding those who differ from us. This is a tall order but one we must follow. Hey, if God’s grace covers our multitude of sins, can’t we offer that same grace to others? Grace is unmerited favor. Today, let’s commit to offering grace instead of resentment, peace instead of conflict, and love instead of hate.

Bill Ogletree

Question to Ponder:

How is God calling you to show grace today?

Pray

God, you know my heart. You know I can default to anger before offering grace. Help me to see others as you do: as your children. Make me more like Jesus.

Amen.

Go

How can you bear fruit this day? “Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Doing so prepares you to bear God’s fruit.

Colossians 3:12