The Comeback KidNäide

If you combined your five closest friends to create one person, what would that person be like? Odds are that the person you came up with would be a lot like you. Does that surprise you? It's a concept that a youth pastor told me about a couple of years ago, and it started a shift that radically changed my life. We are all greatly influenced by the people we spend time with. If I surrounded myself with mean, selfish people, then I’m probably also going to become a mean, selfish person, too. If we look at the Bible, we see that Jesus gives one commandment: to love one another. Jesus knew how important relationships are, which is why He gave us this powerful command. It’s through love that we show the world who Jesus is. It is how we can set ourselves apart from this world that tries so hard to put us down or cause us to fail. Only love can separate us from negativity in the world around us.

How can you make sure that you are living in love? One way is to spend time with people who help you be more loving. Look at your friendships. Are they helping you grow in love? If not, what steps can you take to surround yourself with people who reflect God’s love?