Spiritual Scavenger Hunt!

Day Twenty Three

Are you ready to dive into another day of seeking wisdom from God's word? I sure hope so, because today is the 23rd day of our Spiritual Scavenger Hunt! Yesterday, we dived into God's love for us. But just like God loves us, we are called to love other people. In fact, love is VERY, VERY important. Just look at the Bible verses 1 Corinthians 13:13, 1 John 3:14, 1 Peter 4:8, Proverbs 10:12 and many more. To love one another is not just a suggestion for us; it's a commandment (see John 13:34-35).

So, we know that love is very important. But what are some qualities of love and how can we show them? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a very famous verse that nicely sums up what love is. When we say we love someone, we should think about what that truly means and put those values and qualities into action. For example, if you say you love someone while thinking about something bad that they've done in the past, you're not truly loving them. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing or keep a record of wrongs. We should look to this verse to ultimately remind ourselves how to treat others.

We should forgive each other. Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be tenderhearted and forgiving. Proverbs 17:9 reminds us that when we forgive, we show love, but bringing up the matter again only separates close friends. Colossians 3:12-13 also gives an important message of how we should act towards each other and includes the reason why we should forgive. God has forgiven us, so we must also forgive others. Why? As Christians, we should be seeking to be more like Christ in attitude, mindset, actions, and just in general. We've also already read that forgiving promotes and expresses love! And let's face it, why on earth would anyone not want to have love in their life? Love is so, completely, absolutely powerful. If there is anyone in your life that you are holding bitter feelings towards, take some time to pray to the Lord and then forgive them. It'll take a weight off your shoulders.

What else can we find in the Bible about love? Luke 6:27 and Proverbs 25:21-22 are about loving your enemies. Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14 also have the message that we should bless those who persecute us. It can be hard, but we need to remember that even the most difficult people we know bear the image of God. Take some time now to think if there are any people in your life that you don't like that much or who have hurt you, and pray for their well-being. Then, ask God to help you abide in the love of Christ and love everyone, even those who hurt you.

Colossians 3:8 informs us of things that we must do away with. One thing that's included? Obscene talk. This means that, while we're out with our friends and joking around, we have to be careful that the conversation doesn't turn into anything obscene. If this does happen, we have to be strong enough to say "I don't feel comfortable talking about this; can we talk about something else?" and step away if others do not respect your wishes. When we put away the wrong attitude, we can focus on having the right one so that we can abide in love.

Something else we must do away with? Anger! Some verses that reinforce this are Proverbs 15:18, Proverbs 15:1, Ephesians 4:6, Psalm 37:8, and Proverbs 29:11. Remember, it's easier to stay calm than it is to calm down after you've gotten riled up. We need to accept that things to not always go our way and there are people in this world who will do things we don't like. When we're frustrated, we need to look to God instead of looking at the things that cause us such great anger. The next time you feel like you might explode at someone, not only should you count to 10 in your head, but you should count to ten by thinking of 10 good qualities that the person has.

Above all, remember 1 John 4:19 - We love because He first loved us. Jesus is to thank for our ability to love! So, as you walk in love and learn more about what it means to love, don't forget to praise God that He has given you this wonderful gift. There is truly so much more we could look at relating to loving others, and if you're still interested in digging deeper I encourage you to look up Bible verses on love! So much can be said about love that I wouldn't be able to type it all up. I'd be typing forever! One good way to learn about love? By showing it and giving it every day, to everyone! Ask God to help you walk in love!

In your scavenger hunt reflection journal, consider answering questions such as;

1. What are some of your favourite Bible verses on love?

2. How can you put these verses into action in your life?

3. Is there someone you feel you need to show more love to? How are you going to try to do this? Don't wait for even a second to ask God for His wisdom and guidance along the way!

I hope that you're enjoying our studies this week, there will be a new one tomorrow! God bless! <3