‘Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. ‘ 1 Peter 3:8-9
Being a Christian requires a different way of reacting to the world and the people around us.
For the Christian, we are called to be of “one mind.” For this to happen effectively, it requires a knowledge of God’s Word.
The Bible is the one thing that He has provided us to give us His will for our lives.
I believe that reading the Bible is as essential to the Christian as breathing is to every human being.
If we are not reading the Bible, we are not getting the spiritual nourishment we need to grow in our faith or bear the fruit that He wants us to.
Matthew 4:4 NLT
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
We need nourishing food to keep our bodies running, and we need the Word of God to grow spiritually.
John 15:4-8 NLT
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
The one thing that we should have in common with other believers is the thirst for God’s Word. If this is missing in your walk, I beg you to get on your knees and ask God to give that desire today.
“Sympathize with each other.”
We all struggle with something in our lives; we are called to help each through these struggles. Sometimes, we may look at these struggles and think to ourselves, “Well, that is simple; just do this.”
But for the person struggling, it’s not that simple.
And the struggles we face may seem daunting to us but may seem simple to another believer.
The key here is to “sympathize with each other.” Their struggle, just like ours, is real, no matter how “easy” we think that struggle may be.
Again, if we are in God’s Word, we can bring these struggles before the throne of God. We can meditate and pray on God’s Word; we can trust God’s Spirit and let it change our hearts about our struggles.
And the good news is, as a believer in Jesus Christ, we have the Creator of the universe in our hearts, and there is no challenge too big for Him to handle.
“Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.”
The one thing I have to be very careful about is how I look at something while I am on the mountain top.
It’s easy to look at things with clarity when everything is going great, but when the trials come, it can get very foggy.
If there is not a trial going on in your life right now, there is only one thing for sure; one is right around the corner, so buckle up.
A key is to be humble at all times and making sure that we are available to help and encourage others, whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley.
Romans 1:12 NLT
When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you.”
We are not to react in a hostile manner or retaliate, no matter what happens to us.
Romans 12:19 NLT
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.
If we initiate any act of evil or retaliation, it is a sin. And by acting out in that manner, that sin will find us out and make us pay.
Understand, I am not saying that your sin is not forgiven; Jesus paid the price for that on the cross. But when we sin, we will suffer the consequences of that sin.
We could use a little more of that spirit in the world we are experiencing now.
“Instead, pay them back with a blessing.”
This way of acting is upside down to the culture we live in today.
Matthew 5:43-48 NLT
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Christian, we are called to do things differently from what this world calls “right.”
“That is what God has called us to do, and He will grant you His blessing.”
Make no mistake about this, our blessing does not come from this world, but it comes from God.
Everything we have comes by His grace. And when we live in the Will of God, He blesses that.
Psalm 119:2 NLT
Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.
Psalm 119:72 NLT
Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word and Your promise.
I pray that You continue to give me the desire to know You more and more through Your Word.
I thank You for those You have placed in my life. Please help me to compassionately and humbly serve the needs of those around me.
I pray that You heal our country and bring us back to Your Will.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
