Not So Different

READ: 3 JOHN 1:5-8; ROMANS 15:7; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-6; EPHESIANS 4:1-6

In God’s family, we will encounter people who have different backgrounds, experiences, personalities, likes, and dislikes than ours. And this is a beautiful thing! But it can be challenging as we seek to learn from and be kind to each other through the differences.

As fellow Christians, there’s good news. Even if we don’t have much in common with some of our siblings in Christ, we’re still siblings because we both know Jesus as our Savior. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus unites us with all Christians and makes us part of His family, called the church. He is with us through the Holy Spirit, and that same Holy Spirit is in every believer. And He loves all of us. That’s why we need to be kind and welcoming to each other, no matter where someone is from or how different from us they may be. Jesus’s love for us is what binds us together—and it’s what enables us to love each other.

When you are kind and welcoming to people who are different from you, you may be surprised to find they’re not so different from you after all! But no matter how similar or different they may be, Jesus calls us to show kindness to others— especially if they know Him as their Savior too. Instead of drawing back from each other because of our differences, we can lean in and learn from each other as siblings in Christ. And who knows—maybe we’ll get to know God a little bit better in the process! • A. W. Smith

• Is there someone you’ve found difficult to love? Consider taking some time in prayer, asking God to help you see as He sees and love as He loves in this situation.

• Who are trusted people in your life who can help you love difficult people well, including setting boundaries where necessary—such as therapists, parents, teachers, pastors, etc.?

• Can you think of a time you were pleasantly surprised when you encountered someone different from you? What was it like?

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone— especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:10 (NLT)