ElevatedSample

The idea of treating others the way we want to be treated is nothing new; however, it’s a simple concept that the world continues to struggle with to this day. Unfortunately, the failure to live this out doesn’t only fall on those who may have never spent a Sunday in church or who don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Even believers and Jesus-followers have struggled to live each day in a way where we only treat those around us with respect and a helpful attitude. No one is perfect.

There is no one alive today who was able to live their life without saying a rude comment, making a snap judgment, or manipulating a situation to make sure that they came out the winner. We all have fallen short of this commandment. And most of us fall short because we try to live this out all on our own. We think a little too much of our abilities and forget that we were given a helper to guide us through the difficult and frustrating situations of life. When we find ourselves wanting to act out or be unkind to a fellow person, we first can turn to the Holy Spirit, who resides in every person who has decided to follow Jesus. We can’t rely on our strength to stop the harsh words, but instead, we can turn to the Spirit to help change our hearts from anger to love.

What other tools can you use to help you focus on Jesus when others around you frustrate or hurt you?