“And so I am giving a new commandment to you now – love each other just as much as I love you. Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are My disciples” John 13:34,35

A Navajo Indian woman who had been healed of a serious ailment by a missionary doctor was greatly impressed by the love he manifested.

“If Jesus is anything like the doctor,” she said, “I can trust Him forever.”

The doctor was a living example of the above promise. When Jesus spoke these words, the entire known world was filled with hate, war and fear. The Jews and the Gentiles hated each other. The Greeks and the Romans hated each other.

But with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and the day of Pentecost came a breath of heavenly love. Those who received Jesus, the incarnation of love, into their lives and who chose to obey His command began to love one another. The pagan world looked on in amazement and said of the believers, “How they love one another!”

Within a few years following this command to love one another, the gospel had spread like a prairie fire throughout the known world. The miracle of God’s love, His supernatural agape, had captivated multitudes throughout the decadent, wicked Roman Empire.

Tragically, today one seldom hears “How they love one another!” about Christians. Instead there is far too much suspicion, jealousy, criticism and conflict between Christians, churches and denominations. The unbelieving world often laughs at our publicized conflicts.

But those individuals who do demonstrate this supernatural love are usually warmly received by nonbelievers as well as believers. The churches that obey our Lord’s command to “love one another” usually are filled to overflowing and are making a great impact for good and for the glory of God. They represent a highly desirable alternative to secular society.

How does one love supernaturally? By faith. God’s Word commands us to love (John 13:34,35). God’s Word promises that He will enable us to do what He commands us to do (John 5:14,15).

Bible Reading: 1 John 3:14-19

Today’s Action Point: Through the enabling of the Holy Spirit, I will by faith love others and thus prove that I am a true disciple of the Lord Jesus.

One of the prerequisites for being a servant of God is to think like a servant. This would be fine if it wasn’t so impossible. We are all naturally wired to think only of ourselves.

Learning to give preference to others is one of the true marks of a Christian because it is so contrary to human nature. That’s why desiring it comes from God, and doing it comes through the Holy Spirit.

Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21, NLT).

Hidden in these verses is the secret to making an attitude of servanthood become a part of your thinking. It starts with Jesus. When you fall in love with Jesus, you focus on Him and worship Him. As you do this, you find out about Him—you get to know Him as you would a friend—and soon you come to know what matters to Him, until finally, you start to realize that what matters to Him, matters to you. This is not just a factor of familiarity, either. There is a supernatural element at work here as well. What matters to Jesus connects with the Holy Spirit in you, and the Spirit answers from deep inside you to the call of truth.

Other people mattered deeply to Jesus. He could read their hurt and pain. Scripture says He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Well where did that grief and sorrow come from if it didn’t come from the suffering of people around Him? In other words, He was carrying their grief. He was empathizing with their sorrow. Once a woman touched him in a desperate need to be healed, and He could feel the compassionate power go from Him even though He didn’t see who touched Him in the press of the crowd. He was that sensitive to the needs of those around Him.

Now truly, thinking like a servant doesn’t automatically make you one, but it goes a long way toward getting you there. If you are thinking like a servant, you are noticing others; and the more you are aware of others, the more the Holy Spirit can use you in reaching out to them. All this increases the opportunity for the gospel. People are simply not used to being served.

Take it from me, a guy who is not by any stretch servant material, it’s actually a relief to get off my most popular subject—me—and on to someone else. Ask God to help you think like a servant today, and I’m certain you’ll get a chance to be one.

Question: Where are there opportunities in your life (at home, work, church, or elsewhere) to “think like a servant”?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for September 11th, PM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2010.

“Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies – make straight your way before me.” Psalms 5:8

The world is often hostile to the people of Christ. People will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offense committed by a follower of Jesus. Instead of futilely lamenting this fact, let us instead “Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” (1 Peter 3:11, NLT)

So many are watching us, waiting to catch us when we slip. This should be a potent motive for walking carefully before God. If we live carelessly, the sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued world will see it, and will no doubt spread the story, exaggerated by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly “I knew it! See how these Christians act! They are all just hypocrites!” In this way much damage be done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to His holy name.

The cross of Christ is itself an offense to the world; let us take care that we add no offense of our own. It is “a stumbling block to Jews”: let us be careful that we put no stumbling blocks where there are enough already. It is “foolishness to Gentiles”: let us not add foolishness of our own doing. (1 Corinthians 1:23) If we do, we may give ammunition to the scorn with which the worldly-wise deride the gospel.

We must rigidly follow the guide of God as He speaks through our consciences! In the presence of adversaries who will misrepresent our best deeds, and criticize our motives where they cannot criticize our actions, how careful we need to be! Pilgrims travel as suspected persons through the places where love of the world is paramount. Not only are we under surveillance, but there are more spies than we realize. People are always evaluating our behavior, and associating how we behave, for better or worse, with Christ. If we fall into the enemies’ hands we may sooner expect generosity from a wolf, or mercy from a fiend, than anything like patience with our failures from men who spice their infidelity towards God with naming scandals against His people.

Lord, lead our steps always, for fear that our enemies will trip us up!

“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. … But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” (1 Peter 2:15, 20)

Questions: Have you ever been unfairly criticized for your faith? How did you respond?

About the Author:  Charles Spurgeon

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin” (Zech. 4:10 NLT).

Begin. Just begin! What seems small to you might be huge to someone else. Just ask Bohn Fawkes. During World War II, he piloted a B-17. On one mission he sustained flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though his gas tanks were hit, the plane did not explode, and Fawkes was able to land the plane.

On the morning following the raid, Fawkes asked his crew chief for the German shell. He wanted to keep a souvenir of his incredible good fortune. The crew chief explained that not just one but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks, none of which had exploded.

Technicians opened the missiles and found them void of explosive charge. They were clean and harmless and with one exception, empty. The exception contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it a message had been scrawled in the Czech language. Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you now.”

A courageous assembly-line worker was disarming bombs and scribbled the note. He couldn’t end the war, but he could save one plane. He couldn’t do everything, but he could do something. So he did it.

God does big things with small deeds.

Against a towering giant, a brook pebble seems futile. But God used it to topple Goliath. Compared to the tithes of the wealthy, a widow’s coins seem puny. But Jesus used them to inspire us. And in contrast with sophisticated priests and powerful Roman rulers, a cross-suspended carpenter seemed nothing but a waste of life. Few Jewish leaders mourned his death. Only a handful of friends buried his body. The people turned their attention back to the temple. Why not?

What power does a buried rabbi have? We know the answer. Mustard-seed and leaven-lump power. Power to tear away death rags and push away death rocks. Power to change history. In the hands of God, small seeds grow into sheltering trees. Tiny leaven expands into nourishing loaves.

Small deeds can change the world. Sow the mustard seed. Bury the leaven lump. Make the call. Write the check. Organize the committee.

Moses had a staff.
David had a sling.
Samson had a jawbone.
Rahab had a string.
Mary had some ointment.
Aaron had a rod.
Dorcas had a needle.
All were used by God.
What do you have?

God inhabits the tiny seed, empowers the tiny deed. He cures the common life by giving no common life, by offering no common gifts. Don’t discount the smallness of your deeds.

From Cure for the Common Life
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2006) Max Lucado
Used by permission

Question: How has God gifted you? How can you seek to use these gifts for His glory?

About the Author: Max Lucado

One of the prerequisites for being a servant of God is to think like a servant. This would be fine if it wasn’t so impossible. We are all naturally wired to think only of ourselves.

Learning to give preference to others is one of the true marks of a Christian because it is so contrary to human nature. That’s why desiring it comes from God, and doing it comes through the Holy Spirit.

Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21, NLT).

Hidden in these verses is the secret to making an attitude of servanthood become a part of your thinking. It starts with Jesus. When you fall in love with Jesus, you focus on Him and worship Him. As you do this, you find out about Him—you get to know Him as you would a friend—and soon you come to know what matters to Him, until finally, you start to realize that what matters to Him, matters to you. This is not just a factor of familiarity, either. There is a supernatural element at work here as well. What matters to Jesus connects with the Holy Spirit in you, and the Spirit answers from deep inside you to the call of truth.

Other people mattered deeply to Jesus. He could read their hurt and pain. Scripture says He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Well where did that grief and sorrow come from if it didn’t come from the suffering of people around Him? In other words, He was carrying their grief. He was empathizing with their sorrow. Once a woman touched him in a desperate need to be healed, and He could feel the compassionate power go from Him even though He didn’t see who touched Him in the press of the crowd. He was that sensitive to the needs of those around Him.

Now truly, thinking like a servant doesn’t automatically make you one, but it goes a long way toward getting you there. If you are thinking like a servant, you are noticing others; and the more you are aware of others, the more the Holy Spirit can use you in reaching out to them. All this increases the opportunity for the gospel. People are simply not used to being served.

Take it from me, a guy who is not by any stretch servant material, it’s actually a relief to get off my most popular subject—me—and on to someone else. Ask God to help you think like a servant today, and I’m certain you’ll get a chance to be one.

Question: Where are there opportunities in your life (at home, work, church, or elsewhere) to “think like a servant”?

About this Author: John Fischer

Store clerks, other drivers and those we pass in the street seem hurried also and the  pleasantries of good manners between us seems hard to find.

Yet at Christmas time we look for that Christmas Spirit; that goodwill toward our fellow man. We want to find it. We want life to echo that peace and love that Christmas is all about.

We need that Christmas Spirit to encourage our hearts and remind us that all is not as the evening news would have us believe.

So let’s find it and share it this month! What does it look like? One very basic part of the Christmas Spirit is kindness to one another. Let’s agree to look for ways to give at least one act of deliberate kindness every day to a stranger we meet along the way.

We can do our part to find that Christmas Spirit and pass it on. The world will be better for it and who knows … maybe we can keep it up all year around!

• Wave another driver into the stream of traffic ahead of you.
• Pay for the coffee of the person coming behind you in the drive through.
• Give your seat up to someone on the bus who looks weary.
• Take the time to say “please” and “thank you”.
• Offer to do something that needs to be done with out being asked.
• Hold a door for someone.
• Smile.

Read this author’s view of the Christmas Spirit.

What demonstrates the Christmas Spirit to you?