Love Your Neighbor Challenge — Day 10

Love is Not Offended
1 Corinthians 13: 5 states that, “Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.”
It’s almost natural to feel that someone made us angry or hurt or feelings. Or perhaps we’re easily offended by the foul language used by another person or the clothes they choose to wear. As Christians we choose to live by a different code. Because we are citizens of a Heavenly kingdom, we seek to please our King of kings. What that looks like is going to be different based on our personal walk with God and our background.

So, how does love keep us from being irritated or taking offense?
When we love someone, we see others’ needs, not just their behavior. For example, if your brother starts blowing up and saying hurtful things about you or someone you care about, you can choose to respond with curiosity. Rather than acting like he just pushed your buttons, you can choose to see this from a different vantage point. This is described at an extreme by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount. He explains what love looks like when he says that we are to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, and give more than what’s requested. (Matthew 5:38-42)

This is a love that we cannot give on our own. We need God to transform our hearts. Loving others isn’t an act of the will and you can’t do this sustainably by white-knuckling it. To be the loving people God wants us to be requires a complete transformation of our hearts. Only then will loving others become natural.

Join our month-long Love Your Neighbor Challenge! This has the power to change your world.

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