Be.Loved. 25 Simple Acts of Love to Change a LifeSample

INTRODUCTION

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now…” – 1 John 3:1-2a

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” – John 1:12 

The privilege that we have of being called “beloved” and “children of God” is such a rich and deep reality that we must ask ourselves, “Can we ever really grasp the depths of the love that God has for us?” We have been grafted in and wholly accepted as part of the God-of-the-universe’s family. 

We are His beloved. Dear to His heart, cherished. 

Every person, regardless of background, age, gender, or other identifying trait, longs to be someone’s beloved—to be accepted and held near even in one’s faults and failures. Every person desires to be acknowledged and called good. Beloveds of God are treasured over all of creation. Beloveds of God have said “Yes!” to the command of God—“Be loved.” 

Be loved, be accepted, be adored, be treasured. Be you, living as one made in the good, good image of God. 

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, God the Father sees you through the precious blood of His Son, and you have been given this new name: Beloved. 

And this good—indeed, great—news changes everything. We live in such a way that others see this radiant thankfulness that emanates from a grateful heart. We’ve been seen and known, accepted in spite of all of our flaws and foibles.

It is interesting and noncoincidental that the new name we carry also gives us the foundational message for what we call others to do. 

Be loved. 

Be loved by the God who upholds the universe by a word. 

Be loved by the God who never sleeps or rests, the God who knows the depths of your heart. Be loved by the God who has the power to create, and destroy. 

Be loved by the One who carries your life in His hands. 

It’s a strong command we give to others who are far from God, and an urgent command we give to those near to finding him. And make no mistake, without our new identity as His beloved, we have nothing which lasts to offer the world. 

As outsiders grafted into the family of God, we are pushed to the edge of contentment until we must cry to those around us, “Be loved!” And be His beloved. 

Our command to tell others of the unconditional and magnetic love of God and a responsive “Yes” places the new name upon yet another person, and another, and another. They now realize they are His beloved, too, grafted into the family.

How, then, do we begin to show others the love of God and exhort them to “be loved?” Included in this Be.Loved. study plan, you will find 25 simple acts of love that can change someone’s life forever.

The demonstration of love—whether that be found in the small act of giving someone a cold cup of water or a warm bowl of soup, or a larger act such as offering to care for a single mom’s kids for free as she goes to work each day—can open up the hearts of those around you. As you invite them to be loved through your acts, you will also have opportunities to invite them into saying “Yes” to the love of God, and to re-envisioning themselves as His beloved.

We invite you to do one simple act of love each day for 25 days. Included with each suggestion is a verse and an opportunity to reflect on how God moved. 

DAY 1: Ask God to deepen your love for Him and for others

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” - Mark 11:24

The prerequisite to sharing the gospel with others is abiding in God’s love. It’s allowing yourself to be loved and to cultivate the relationship that you want to call others into. Mark 11:24 reminds us that whatever we ask for in prayer, we will receive. Asking for a deeper understanding of the love of God and for an opportunity to share the love of God with others will always be answered with a Yes! 

Matthew 7:7 further states, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Today’s simple act of love is cultivating a heart desperate to see others be loved by God, and to become His beloved. 

Spend at least 30 minutes mediating on the love of God and considering what God is saying to you. 

Scriptures to consider: Psalm 107:8-9, John 13:34-35, Romans 8:37-39, and 1 John 4:18-19).