Elevate: Raising the Bar for Conversations About Political TensionsSample

We all have preferences. We see this a lot in the brands we wear, the food we eat, and the teams we support. Manchester City vs. Manchester United, Chick-fil-A vs. KFC, Nike vs. Adidas, Coke vs. Pepsi—the list goes on! It’s estimated that the average adult makes approximately 35,000 decisions a day. No matter where you go, there is always a choice to make that goes against another. You have been given the freedom to choose. But what happens when someone expresses their freedom to choose against you? We must understand the people we disagree with are not our enemies. We shouldn’t seek to make enemies either. We should choose to serve each other in love regardless of our preferences. Choose to use the freedom you have been gifted to serve and love others freely.

Today, think about the choice you can make to serve someone in love who might have different preferences or opinions than you. Maybe it’s a neighbor, a family member, or a student from your school. Ask a trusted adult or Small Group Leader about a time when they chose to serve someone in love who may have been hard for them to love. Then, ask them to hold you accountable for the same thing.