Read Romans 12:10, Hebrews 10:24, and James 5:16 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. What are we told to do in Romans 12:10?
2. According to Hebrews 10:24, what should we motivate one another toward?
3. What is instructed in James 5:16, and why?
Reflect
Throughout the Bible, there are numerous commands relating to our relationships with one another. Today we’ve read a few of them. We’re called to love one another, delight in honoring one another, motivate one another toward love and good works, confess our sins to one another, and pray for one another. This represents the essentials of intentional community.
What does it look like in everyday life? It’s showing someone real and sincere love, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. It’s honoring someone with our words, naming things we see in them that reflect Christ. It’s propelling someone upwards, encouraging them to look more like Jesus. It’s confessing sin and pursuing forgiveness and healing. It’s lifting someone else up in prayer – not just saying we’ll pray, but actually praying and letting them know we prayed.
The cumulative effect of intentional community over a lifetime can be profound, and it starts with living out the “one anothers.” This is just the beginning. Let God shape you, one decision at a time, as you seek to be transformed into His image.
Respond
What small daily choices can you make to live out the “one anothers” in intentional community? Write down at least two practical things you can do today, and follow through on one of them.
Week Review: Make It Stick
Look back at the small daily choices you wrote down each day this week. Which one stands out as most important to continue beyond this week in order to get the cumulative effect you hope for? Write it down, and share with someone else for accountability.