Week 3: The Blessing of Friendship
Monday: The Golden Rule
Read: Luke 6:31-36
SOAP: Luke 6:31
Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.
Devotion:
Some of us are keeping score of our friendships in our heads: points for kindness and generosity, negative points for a harsh word or an unfulfilled promise. We will show up for a friend in need if they’ve done the same for us, but not if we think they don’t deserve our help. We can feel like a friend “owes us” because of what we’ve done for them. None of these ways of thinking is the way Jesus calls us to treat others.
The world of the first century is not that different from our world today in this regard: we expect reciprocity. If someone is kind to you, you show kindness in return. If someone hurts you, you hurt them back. Jesus’ command is just as radical today as it was then: give love freely, not expecting anything in return. Instead of choosing friends based on what they can give us—by their wealth, power, or influence—we are free to love others without strings attached. God was gracious with us when we deserved His wrath, and we can show the world this redemptive truth by treating others well without any expectation that they will return the favor.
Prayer:
God, thank You for treating me better than I deserve! Give me the grace to love others the same way. Amen.