Week 26 Devotional | Neighbor

Think about how much better our teams, and the world could be, if we focused on loving each other and lifting each other up.

Playing team sports helps us learn how to work with all types of people. Some of our teammates are easy to be around and play with, while some teammates are a little more difficult to get along with. The same can be said for coaches. Some coaches are easy to play for, and some coaches are more difficult to play for.

As Chrisitians, we are called to love all teammates and all coaches. When Jesus was asked, “What is the greatest commandment,” he 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.’”

The original Hebrew word for neighbor is plesion, and it means friend or any other person. Jesus said the two most important things that we are called to do are to love God and love people. 

You aren’t going to like or be best friends with every teammate, but we can have a God-like love and appreciation for them. God’s love is self-sacrificing, generous, extravagant, lavish, costly, limitless, boundless, measureless, and unconditional (Christianity.com).

Be like a light for your teammates, showing them the power and strength of love and being a good person. Be there for people. Show them the same grace and mercy that you want, even if they aren’t giving it to you. Strive to be the best person you can be. Be the type of neighbor, teammate, and friend other people are thankful for.

Show up everyday with the goals of being the best person, the best athlete, and the best teammate that you can be.

This Week

1 - What are some things that you can do or say to show a God-like love for everyone you come around?

2 - When you are around people that are a little harder to love, what can you do or say to yourself to get in the mindset to do what Jesus called us to do?

References:

1 “What Is Love.” Christianity.com, https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-love.html%3Famp%3D1