Intentional Warmth

“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All God’s people here send their greetings.” -2 Corinthians 13:11-13

You’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum when you walk into a room of people, haven’t you? One group is warm, welcoming, and including. The other group is cold, unfriendly, and uninviting. What makes the difference and how can we carry that warmth everywhere we go so that others feel the love of Christ in us?

Paul writes to the church as family when he refers to them as brothers and sisters (v.11). We take on a new identify when we surrender our lives to Jesus! We are adopted into the family of God as we are reconciled to our loving Father in heaven! That means we also are joined into a much larger family with many brothers and sisters. That fundamentally changes how you view relationships!

You now look at other believers as eternal family that you can build long-term loving relationships with because of all you now have in common in Christ! For those outside the faith, you now see them differently as well and want them to experience what you enjoy. You see them as someone in great need of the same love and family you have received in Christ! Every person matters to God so every person matters to us!

Are you walking in your new identify in Christ? You are an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) of Christ which means you carry His love with you everywhere you go. You are a representative of the family of God and others will know the love we have by how you carry that love into the rooms you enter.

We are commanded to encourage one another and greet each other warmly (vv.11-12)! The way that we welcome each other may vary from culture to culture and different personalities have different needs. However, the clear mandate to carry God’s love is our goal and we are commanded to do it because it is not always our natural instinct. Left to ourselves we can drift toward isolation or solely focusing on our own needs.

You are not at your best when you walk into a room thinking about yourself, how others will perceive you, insecurely dwelling on if they will like you or not, obsessing over your image and appearance to others, or scheming what you can get out them for yourself. We are at our best when we are walking in the Spirit with the love of Christ shining through us for the benefit of others! God gets great glory and others feel the warmth of His love when you enter a room with the focus on building others up!

God placed you here at this time in part because there are people who need the warmth of God’s love that you carry! Walk in your new identity as a carrier of God’s love and watch the rooms you enter transform by His power at work through you!

Right on?

Read/listen to 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and Galatians chapters 1-2

Prayer focus: talk with God about the times you have felt His love through the warmth of others and ask Him to help you be a consistent carrier of that love to every room you enter

https://www.youtube.com/@brandonscottbruce

Subscribe By Email