Faith FoundationsSample

WEEK 4, DAY 3—LOVE PEOPLE

One day, someone asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is, and Jesus replied saying that it’s to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul.” But the second part of that commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s clear in this conversation that Jesus calls us to love other people, and that he places a very high importance on it!

Jesus also says that people will know we are followers of God if we love one another. He also says that we shouldn’t just love the people that we get along with, but even the people we don’t like. Yes, ESPECIALLY them! Anyone can love people who are good to them, but it takes a special kind of love, a love only God can give, to be able to love people who are mean to you.

Think of the person in your school who treats you the worst. Maybe they call you names, talk about you behind your back, or make you feel left out. That is the person who Jesus wants you to love, and even though it’s hard, you can do it if you’ve got God’s love in your heart. Our ability to love people who are hard to love is what makes us stand out from other people. It’s what shows people that the love we have is different because it’s not from us—it’s from God.

It doesn’t mean that you deny what you feel. It doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to be best friends with them. You don’t have to totally like someone and agree with what they do to love them. You can decide to do so because Jesus gives you the strength to. One of the really practical ways you can start loving people you don’t like is to pray for them. It might feel weird, but as you do it, God can soften your heart and help you love them the way he loves them.