1 Peter 4:8There are times when living together as a family can have its strains and troubles. I may get aggravated over dirty dishes left behind for me to pick up. My family may get irritated with me for all the things I leave lying around. But ultimately we are forgiving and tolerant of each other because we love each other.
Peter has a simple comment about how we can all get along. What should we do? How should we love? What is the benefit of it?
While it may be obvious to us that we love our family members and we can put up with all the small things that make us upset because of love, it may not be quite as obvious that we should have that same attitude with everyone. We are all children of God. We are all loved by God. We are all saved through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ. We are all heirs of God and therefore all part of the family of God.
If we can add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love we can become the great Christians we are called to be. As great Christians we can live out the Great Commandment – loving God with all that we are and loving our neighbors as ourselves.
But with these many attributes of faithful Christian living we will also be able to live out the Great Commission. We will be able to teach all those who do not already know of Jesus. We will be able to help them initiate their own growth in faith, showing them how to build on their faith. We will be able to help them be initiated in this life of holiness through baptism.
If we will live out the teachings of Jesus Christ and make disciples of other people, we must have brotherly kindness as part of who we are. We must care for the well-being and spiritual goodness of all people. We must love them. And through that love we will be able to put away the sin that divides us from others, the sin which keeps others from truly knowing Christ.
DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you have love to overcome sins?
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