“Treat everyone you meet with dignity.” (1 Peter 2:17, MSG)
Loving like Jesus means you must value others the way Jesus values you. You are a child of the king. God created you, and Christ gave his life for you. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ” (NLT).
How much are you worth? Look at the cross. Jesus was willing to die for you. God was willing to give his Son for you. That’s how valuable you are!
Jesus wants you to give that kind of value to everybody else — even the people you can’t stand. When Jesus spread his arms wide on the cross, it’s like he said, “I love them this much, so I expect you, my child, to love these people the same way I love them — because I died for them, not just you. Treat them the same way I treat them. Value them the way I value them.”
The Bible says it very simply in 1 Peter 2:17: “Treat everyone you meet with dignity” (MSG).
How do you do that? One way you treat others with dignity is by looking at them, giving them your attention, and listening to them.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Mark 10:21. Jesus was walking down the street, and a young entrepreneur came up to him and asked him a question. Jesus’ response was that he “looked at him and loved him” (NIV). Jesus looked, and he loved. You can’t love without looking!
Think about the people you come across every day — like the restaurant server, grocery store cashier, or coworker you pass in the hallway. When those people try to speak with you and you don’t give them your attention, you’re not being very loving. Love looks, and love listens.
Prayer
Lord, I thank You for loving me when I don’t deserve it. Lead me so that I reach out to others with the same love, to show what You offer to everyone equally and without reservation. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
