Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 354 – 1 Peter 3:8-9 – Live In Harmony – Growing As Disciples
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV)
What Would Love Do?
That is a very good question. What is a very good question? What would love do? Yes, that is a very good question. Do you have an answer for that question? Yes, I do. As your follower, I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I love you because you first loved me. Your love has changed my heart and transformed my mind. How so? All my thoughts and words and actions are now different because I love you. Now, I want to do what is good and right and pleasing to you. Before, I lived to do what was good and right and pleasing to me. I lived for my own interests. I was pridefully focused on myself. Now, I want to humbly follow and obey you because I love you. I’m not looking for what might be the minimum requirement of loving you either. That would be no expression of love at all. Now, I am constantly on the lookout for ways to express my love to you. So, the answer to the question of, “What would love do?” is anything and everything. There is nowhere I would not go, or nothing I would not do because I love you. That is a very good answer.
What have I asked you to do for me? How do I want you to treat others? What am I asking you to do for others? You are asking me to love others deeply from my heart. You want me to be sympathetic and compassionate and loving to all. Say more about who is included in that word, “all”. You want me to love those who don’t love me. You want me to love everyone. Give me an example. If someone committed some evil against me or hurled some insult at me, you want me to bless them anyhow. In fact, you have called me to be a blessing to everyone around me. Yes, that is my calling on your life. What will you receive and inherit as you live as my blessing in the world? I will receive your blessing. Yes, you will. Will you love me? Will you love others? Will you follow and obey my two great commandments? Yes Lord, I will, with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. That will be very good.
Lord, I will live in harmony with others. I will not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. Instead, I will be sympathetic, loving and compassionate to all. I will repay evil and insult with blessing. With your help, I will be a blessing so that I can inherit a blessing. Amen
Key Question… Why will personal pride almost always get in the way of being able to live in harmony with others?
Living It Out… Make every effort to live in harmony with others.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to live in harmony with others.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to live in harmony with others.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you live in harmony with others.
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