Bright Lights, Big CitySample

Be honest with yourself: How easy is it for you to love other people? Your answer probably sounds something like, “Well, it depends on that other person is…” That’s true for all of us! The family members who love us, the friends who treat us well, the Small Group Leader who shows up for us, the coach who supports us—those people are easy to love. But the friend who betrayed us, the family member who’s mean to us, the kid on the team who teases us, the teacher who is always harsh—those people don’t make it easy. That’s when Jesus’ words come in handy for us. He reminds us that, as Christians, we can love anyone and everyone—those who make it easy and those who don’t—because of Jesus’ love in us. While we don’t have to be close to everyone (especially those who have hurt us), we can show love to anyone simply in how we think about, talk about, and treat them. That’s how we can shine a little light!

Today, think about a way you can practice loving the people around you and letting the light of Jesus shine through you as you do.