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3 Simple Ways to Love Like Jesus
I don't know about you, but sometimes the idea of "Loving like Jesus" seems insurmountable. How can I even begin to compare my actions to our God? When my toddler is screaming at me, how can I grasp more patience? When my spouse forgets the (most important) item on the to-do list, how can I show grace? When someone rudely cuts in front of me on the highway, how do I show self-control?
The truth is, it may not actually be that hard to love and live like Jesus in our every day lives if we slow down and focus our eyes on the small steps. In doing so, we will show our children, co-workers, and communities the face of Jesus because of our kindness. We never know the battles that others are facing, and if we simply decide to see the best in others by controlling our own actions, the world becomes a much better place. Here are 3 simple ways to love like Jesus in your every day life:
Show Kindness
By being kind to our neighbors and others we encounter every day, we are showing them the love of Christ. To love like Christ is to be kind to others even when we don’t think they deserve it. We can help others out of the goodness of our hearts and put a smile in their faces. As mamas, sometimes we are worn down and exhausted, but it is important to do as much as we can for others when we are able. A simple kindness can turn one's entire day around. While this is important for our immediate families, don't forget to show kindness to strangers as well. The love of Christ is for everyone!
2. Pray for Others Prayer is powerful and invites God to intervene in the lives of others. Jesus wants us to pray for others so that He can move in their situations and give them a breakthrough from their troubles. Not the best with your words? God doesn't need a perfectly worded, hour long prayer - we're busy mamas after all - let it be small words at a stop light or while taking your morning shower. Call on Jesus in your most stressful moments and when thinking of others, and allow Him to carry your troubles.
3. Show Patience
Not everyone you encounter will be your friend, and others will become your enemies for reasons best known to them. Just because others may choose to hate us and choose to persecute us doesn’t mean that we are to treat them the same way. Jesus wants us to love them and pray for them because He knows they need His saving power. When we love our enemies, we are demonstrating that with Christ in our hearts, we can love them and desire the best for them. Jesus did not want us to return evil for evil (how often do we remind our little ones of this!?) but to overcome evil with good. By praying for our enemies, we are inclined to let go of the ill will we have for them in our hearts because of what they have done to us.
It won't always be easy. We won't always see the fruits of our labor right away. However, when we show love like Jesus - meeting others in the midst of their mess - we will help them to grow closer to God, heal, and become more capable to love others as well. My prayer for MOPS this year is that we can bind together and truly show one another the love of Jesus as we take on yet another season of motherhood.
Blessings and love,
Misty
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