Other people – mini series

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My mini series finished with this blog. Having prayed to God asking for help in forgiving other people as God forgives me, and asking for help in talking about other people as God talks about me. My last pray for myself is ‘help me to treat other people as you treat me.’

This is a rubber hitting the road moment. How should I treat other people? Words like compassion, grace, kindness and empathy all spring to mind and these are all good things. Ideas like holding doors open for strangers, stopping traffic to help an older person across the road and actually spending time with a homeless person rather than just giving money are all commendable things. But as good as it all is, I think a better action begins all of the others. Love.

We know John chapter 3 verse 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. How does God treat me? With the love that was will to gave up his Son. Later on in the new Testament Paul challenges us about the love that God had for us, that we should have for one another in Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 – 8. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

I recently heard in an online sermon, (Andy Stanley, Brand:New Series) the question asked. What does love require of me?

That was Jesus’ entire mindset, to ask the question over and over again. As we walk our everyday lives, can we begin to do the same as Jesus? Every person we, in anyway shape or form, have contact with ask ourselves the question; What does love require of me?

Maybe then, as I ask God to help me treat other people the way He treat me, others may see Jesus.