Love Over Anger

 By: Grace Metzger

bless those who curse you, and pray
for those who spitefully use you.

Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

At my job I have to deal with a lot of angry and hostile people at times. It isn’t fun and can sometimes I find it hard to control my temper when dealing with them. It would be easy to treat them how they treat me or my employees, but should that be how I handle them? 

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those
 who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for
 those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭44‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God has made it quite clear on how we should treat our enemies. I don’t think God telling us to love each other is a new concept to most, but that doesn’t mean that it comes easy to everyone. So how do we find love for those who treat us poorly? We know we should, but how can we when it’s hard?

 Beloved, if God so loved us,

 we also ought to love one another.

I John‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I have found that keeping 1 John 4:11 close to my heart has helped me find kindness and love for others. It reminds me of how awful I’ve treated God at times but how He continues to love me. Meditating on this verses helps me remember that everyone gets mad, annoying, or rude. Even I do! How can I be angry when people are reacting just I like I have in the past?

I challenge you this week to find a verse that reminds you to love others. Meditate on this verse and keep it close to your heart. It can be 1 John 4:11 or it could be another one. Just find a verse and keep it with you, use it when you feel your frustration with others raise.

Discussion question!

What verse about love first comes to mind?