Act in love towards all peoples

Based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Matthew 25:41-46; Hebrews 13:2; 3 John 1:5.

Acts of love I can do… in Christ:

1. I will be friendly, cordial, and gracious to all people, in all circumstances, even if I am miffed, or feel wronged.
2. I will look-out for anyone being overlooked or ignored, and be gracious and loving somehow to them.
   
3. I will remain faithful to the Lord and make the extra effort to offer hospitality to strangers and to fellow-believers: let strangers go ahead of me in lines, offer grace with a smile to rude drivers.
4. I will slow myself down in order to be gracious; not be so focused on myself and my agenda.
   
5. I will be forgiving and tolerant, and act in love towards all peoples – regardless of their “different-than-I” ways, no matter their skin color, no matter their sins, no matter their offensiveness factor.
6. I will keep guard over developing attitudes of dislike for the “different-than-I” ways of others not like me.
7. I will not be jealous or envious… wishing I was in their place or wanting what someone else has.
8. I will not brag.  I will watch out for the neediness of others around me, careful not to make them feel left out or slighted by the things I say.
9. I will not be proud or arrogant… speaking-over them, acting as if they are invisible, acting with disdain.
10. I will not be rude (act “unbecomingly”).
11. I will not be self-seeking (not manuever and work at things to get my own way).
12. I will not allow myself to get provoked so easily.  I will be careful to not be so overly sensitive and so very easily angered.
13. When I am wronged (actual or merely perceived) – I will forgive and forget, dismiss it, overlook it, not count it as a grievance against me, not hold it against the perp. I will make it my aim to be much much more forgiving of others.
14. I will not be happy about some injustice to others – but be concerned for the victim.
15. I will not be happy with evil and violence towards other people.
16. I will be really happy with the truth of things, when I see the right thing prevail, and see that the truth wins.
17. Regardless of what others do to me, I will bear it with my trust in God.
18. I will be careful to look for the best in people, always.
19. When times are difficult for me, I will hold fast my calm, remain steadfast, strong in hope.
20. I will build up my strength in the Lord so I can endure to the end – whatever comes my way.

1 Corinthians 13 in two versions:

1 Corinthians 13: verses 4-7  Amplified Bible (AMP)

1 Corinthians 13: verses 4-7    New American Standard Bible (NASB)

  “⁴ Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, ⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, ⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ^{7 [b covers]}bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Matthew 25: verses 41-46   The Message (MSG)

⁴⁴ “Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’

⁴⁵ “He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’

⁴⁶ “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

Are you a “goat”, or have you decided to be a sheep that follows its Shepherd?

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