Imagine What Change Would Come To the World

I want to share something that came up this past weekend and I shared with the students at my church. This month we have been talking about respect and what that looks like for them. We have talked about the people they respect, respecting their parents/caregivers and respecting their leaders.

We have built the month in this verse -

"Show proper respect to everyone." - 1 Peter 2:17, NIV

Everyone means everyone. But it's not that easy. Parents make a bad call or are a little unfair. Bosses aren't the easiest to respect. Friends can be disrespectful too. We all have someone that is a little hard to respect. But God wants us to respect them as best as we can.

You don't have to look very far in this world to see the amount of disrespect people have for each other. People taking sides and if you aren't with them your against them. People protesting and yelling insults toward the fellow men and women. This is not the way it's supposed to be.

"Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Jesus is the perfect example of love. Jesus faced many confrontations and responded to them with love. Jesus instructed us to do the same.

“Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'" - Matthew 22:37-40 NIV

Jesus says everything hangs on love. Love is the answer. If we would just love - imagine what change would come to the world.

We can also pray. Prayer is a strong force. Prayer can change live and the heart of people. Prayer is the answer. Let God handle it.

Paul says these words in his letter to Timothy:

“The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.”

- 1 Timothy 2:1-3 MSG

Everyone can use a little prayer. Prayer works. People ask me all the time to send up prayers for them or their family members. They know God is the only source of help.

So pray for our leaders - even if you don't agree. Pray for the President. Pray for the government. Pray for your friends. Pray for your family. Pray for the nation and other nations. Pray for pastors. Pray for law enforcement. Pray for anyone and everyone. We all need it!

Pray for unity. Pray for peace. Pray for joy. Pray for forgiveness. Pray for love.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” - Psalm 133:1 NIV

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