others — Discipleship

The first human beings lived in harmonious partnership with each other. (1) There was no conflict between them. They acted in each other’s best interests at all times, and never took advantage or exploited the vulnerability of the other. However, once they rebelled against God, they began to quarrel amongst themselves. (2) What started out with bickering led to murder, (3) and then murder led to war and strife of all kinds. (4) Human beings, right up unto today, suffer at each other’s hands out of confusion, fear, unchecked desire, and outright malice. (5)

God refused to let evil and destruction have total control. (6) He sent His own Son to take on human form, (7) offering us a very different vision of human life and healthy community. (8) The divisions between individuals, (9) and the historical animosity between groups, (10) is ended as Jesus brings people of every background into his new family. (11) The church has become a new ethnos, a new people group on the earth; (12) a people who practice the way of love. (13) Read John 13:1-17 and John 15:9-17 where Jesus demonstrates His love for His students and instructs them to love each other.

Wisdom: Considering Others

Jesus understood how to interact with other people in ways that brought about good results; He knew their motivations and desires, fears and frustrations, weaknesses and strengths; He knew how to speak and act in order to bring about God’s will for others. (14) Am I aware of the people around me, and how I can interact with them to serve God and bless them? (15)

Justice: Honoring Others

Jesus treated other human beings with tremendous respect, recognizing that all people are made in God’s image; he did not injure or manipulate, but acted truthfully and honorably toward everyone. (16) Do I treat others with honor and recognize their immense value to God? (17)

Courage: Suffering for Others

Jesus was willing to suffer, and even die, for the sake of other people; he did not let fear, pain, or injustice deter him from doing what was best for those around him. (18) Do I embrace hardship in order to do what is best for those around me? (19)

Self-Control: Being Gentle with Others

Jesus did not act rashly with others and did not allow his passions to overtake him in his interaction with others; he recognized when people were vulnerable and acted tenderly towards them even in confrontation. (20) Do I think before speaking and act towards others with restraint? (21)

Faith: Trusting Others

Jesus trusted others with the power to make their own choices, even to the point of being vulnerable to their poor choices. He prefered to trust people instead of being skeptical. (22) Do I believe that others will do what is good, and embrace all that God has for them? (23)

Hope: Expecting Others to Succeed

Jesus never wrote anyone off; he never treated anyone as though they were beyond hope or help, and he expected that the future would be full of promise. (24) Do I have hope for others, expecting that their future will be full of glory? (25)

Love: Committed to the Welfare of Others

Jesus was completely committed to whatever was best for those around him; he provided mercy when mercy was needed, and brought justice when justice was required. (26) Will we do what is best for those people God has brought into our lives? (27)

If Jesus were “in my shoes,” how would my relationship with others* be different than it is now?

How could my relationship with others be deeper, fuller, and more vibrant?

Can I name any specific problems in the way I now relate to others?

What choices must I make if I am going to love others the way Jesus does?

Where do I need to repent of unrighteous attitudes, ideas, decisions, or habits?

What do I need to embrace in order to love others more fully?

What are the barriers to loving others more fully?

What will repentance cost me?

What will I have to give up in order to embrace others more fully? (relationally, emotionally, financially, etc.)

Am I willing to make that choice?

Communicate that to God

Communicate that to another person