Only the YoungSample

When I was younger, I wanted to be like my grandfather. He was our church’s pastor. He and I played a board game called, “Candy Land.” I remember eating his delicious cooking, talking with him about my fears and triumphs, and he always encouraged me. I realized that I wanted to become a pastor because I was impacted by the loving and kind person that he was to me and our congregation. So as a little boy, I went around the church with a suit and tie and with a pen in my pocket to convince the people that I was like him.

In the Gospels, we see Jesus showing love for those who were considered unlovable by society in his day. Jesus had compassion for the multitudes who were listening to him preach. He wept over Lazarus, who had died, healed the sick, and had a way of making outsiders feel wanted by God.

Seeing this should lead us to want to imitate the life of Jesus. Just as I wanted everyone to know that I wanted to be a pastor like my grandfather by how I looked on the outside, so Jesus wants everyone to know we are his followers by how we look on the outside! And how can we look like Jesus? By loving others.

Today, spend time thanking God for his amazing love and ask God to enable you to live life showcasing real love to others so they can know that you belong to Jesus!

Written by Daniel, age 20 from Hicksville, New York, USA