Love Looks and Listens
By Rick Warren
“Treat everyone you meet with dignity.” 1 Peter 2:17 (MSG)
Loving like Jesus means you must value others the way Jesus values you.
You are a child of the king. God created you, and Christ gave his life for you. The Bible says in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ” (NLT).
How much are you worth? Look at the cross. Jesus was willing to die for you. God was willing to give his Son for you. That’s how valuable you are!
Jesus wants you to give that kind of value to everybody else—even the people you can’t stand. When Jesus spread his arms wide on the cross, it’s like he said, “I love them this much, so I expect you, my child, to love these people the same way I love them—because I died for them, not just you. Treat them the same way I treat them. Value them the way I value them.”
The Bible says it very simply in 1 Peter 2:17: “Treat everyone you meet with dignity” (MSG).
How do you do that? One way you treat others with dignity is by looking at them, giving them your attention, and listening to them.
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Mark 10:21. Jesus was walking down the street, and a young entrepreneur came up to him and asked him a question. Jesus’ response was that he “looked at him and loved him” (NIV). Jesus looked, and he loved. You can’t love without looking!
Think about the people you come across every day—like the restaurant server, grocery store cashier, or coworker you pass in the hallway. When those people try to speak with you and you don’t give them your attention, you’re not being very loving. Love looks, and love listens.
When you look and listen in love, you remind people of their value to you—and, ultimately, of their value to God.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Be Encouraged Each Day to Live Out God’s Purposes
As thanks for your gift below to help share the gospel with more people around the world through Daily Hope, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s new book, Daily Hope Devotional: 365 Days of Purpose, Peace, and Promise.
Each devotional starts out with a Bible verse, followed by teaching that explains God’s Word and shows you how to apply it daily so you can face any challenge and live the life you were created to live.
As a special bonus when you give, we’ll also send you What's Driving Your Life?: A 10-Day Turnaround for a Fresh Start. Featuring 10 hand-picked devotions from Pastor Rick’s new book, they’ll guide anyone feeling stressed, worried, or discouraged toward seeking God for a fresh start.
Request your copy below when you give—and take the first step towards a year of real purpose, lasting peace, and unfailing promises.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.