D4: Love Believers

In our last discipleship lesson we left off with the three priorities Jesus leaves us with in His longest recorded prayer or conversation with God before His death. The second priority in John 17 is to love other believers. We were created to be in community, in relationship and a part of something that is outside of and bigger than our little life bubble. The importance of this is tantamount to our growth and the ability to show that we love God with all our heart, mind and strength, which was the first priority in John 17.

To talk with my kids about this second priority we focused on Matthew 11:29-30 and 2 Corinthians 6:14.  In Matthew Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." We had a lively discussion about what a yoke was in the physical sense.  It was a heavy, wooden, plank structure that held two oxen together to plow the fields. Not a light thing to carry on your shoulders. I had my kids imagine themselves as those oxen and then we talked about true trust in Jesus and the intangible, spiritual yoke we are to have with Him.

When we are affiliated or yoked with other believers, when they are our circle, we are built up in Jesus and can trust and grow while in those relationships. It is critical to our spiritual growth to be in these relationships. But we constantly bump up against the pull of the world. So, my kids and I also looked at and talked about 2 Corinthians 6:14. It says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" My kids and I had a frank discussion about what happens if we yoke ourselves to unbelievers. The relationship in inconsequential to the unbeliever but it changes us. This ties back to my last post on being rooted. If we yoke ourselves to or allow ourselves to become rooted with people and behaviors that are not Christ-like, soon it becomes very easy to allow ourselves to act like those we are yoked to, which goes directly against what God intends for us.

We had a situation in our home to demonstrate just that in bright, living color. I will share that in my next post, so stay tuned, but I love how accurate and detailed God is when we seek and talk about His Word.  It will come alive, for better or worse!

Talk to your kids about loving believers as a priority and the idea of being yoked. Then watch for God to show them in a tangible way how that plays out in their lives.

By His Grace