Family Time…Love like God loves
You might be thinking “I can’t love like God loves!” and you are right, on our own, it would be really tough to love like God loves. But I am very grateful that God does not ask His people to do this feat on their own. He sends us help! Scripture tells us that God has given us His Spirit to help us. God tells us throughout scripture that His Holy Spirit helps those that follow Him to remember things, to understand His Word (scripture), He tells us what we are to say, He gives us strength to do it and He even gives us a desire to obey the things that He tells us in scripture. Awesome, isn’t it! In John 16:7, Jesus told us that He would send us the Helper and that is what the Holy Spirit does…helps! This special help is for all Christians who follow Jesus as a lifestyle, however, we always have a choice and we can make the wrong choice and not listen or accept His help. But life goes much smoother when you listen!
As a Mom, I watched my kids struggle with showing God’s loving-kindness to each other, especially in middle school. The middle school years can be very tough years for kids because other kids can be so mean to your kids. My daughter had a particular group at school and they were just were not being nice. Girls can bully in so many ways, usually by excluding others. My daughter and I took it to God. He gave us the idea to start praying for each person’s heart to change in this group and we asked that He would help both of us desire to showing loving-kindness to them. God did help our desire to show them compassion even in the midst of their bullying. We kept praying. In time, we could see that God began to change their hearts too. Most kids just want to be accepted and often if you are being rejected, your first impulse is to lash out at someone else, hoping it helps. But, it never does. Sometimes you have to learn to deny your own pity party and learn to selflessly show kindness to another.
This week in your family time, I would encourage you to prepare by praying for your family and asking God to help your family love like He does. How much compassion is there in your family? And look at how your family handles anger. Is your group slow to anger? Are there outbursts of anger often? Remember to keep giving your kids and husband hugs and telling them that you love them too! It is those selfless acts of compassion and kindness that can impact the hearts and break down the walls, even in the difficult moments. As a Mom, think about a time that you could have reacted in anger at a situation, but instead you chose to show compassion and mercy and it caused a positive outcome. Consider sharing that in your family time. You are a role-model for your kids. Encourage them to think of times that they have handled anger correctly. If there are not many times, make a group decision to start handling anger correctly and work on this together. Encourage each other and praise them often when they are doing the right thing!
Do you need help or prayer for your family time? Email me at SkyMoms@skyranch.org.
I will be praying for you!
Stacy
Stacy A. Davis
Teach Intentionally
This week we are in the 6th Month Topic and 3rd Family Time (or page 55) of the Sky Ranch Devotional “Open Your Eyes”…
Family Time 3:
Month 6 Topic: God is love…Love like God loves
Talk with God: Read…Exodus 34:6, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 36:7
~ Exodus 34:6 The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; Who keeps loving-kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.
- In Ex 34:6, how much loving-kindness does God have?
~ 1 Chronicles 16:34 O give thanks to the Lord, for [He is] good; for His loving-kindness is everlasting.
- In 1 Chr 16:34, when will His loving-kindness end?
~ Psalm 36:7 How precious is Your loving-kindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
- In Ps 36:7, because of His loving-kindness, we can do what?
Walk with God: Discuss… Can you love like God loves? We are to imitate Him. We can probably be compassionate and gracious at times. But are you slow to anger? Anger can be a challenge for all of us. I am very glad God is slow to anger, are you? Do you show that same kindness to others? What are some ways to help slow your anger down and show the mercy that God shows?
Prayer suggestion… Thank Him for loving you with His endless love! Ask Him to increase your ability to love others as He loves you.
Family Time 3:
Leader Answers:
- It is abounding
- Never
- Take shelter in Him
- Discussion ideas: Anger is tough. Anger is the result of feeling that you have been treated unjustly. A common response to anger is revenge, but God tells us that we are not to seek revenge; vengeance is His (Romans 12:19). Examples of handling anger correctly are pray, make sure you know the facts correctly, talk calmly to each other. Matthew 18:15 defines a Biblical way to handle disputes, forgive and show mercy.
© 2011 Tori Miller and Stacy A. Davis, Inc. All rights reserved.
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