Topic: Building others up in the Lord
Bible Reading: Psalm 105-106; Romans 15:1-21.
Memory Verse: ”Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” Romans 15:2 (KJV).
The word of God in 1 John 4:7-8 KJV is quite explicit. It is a clear instruction on how a true child of God should live his life. It says “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. [8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
God expects all his children to live a life of love that reflects on his neighbour. This is a great way of evangelizing Christ. When you truly love your neighbour, you will help him to build his faith in Christ so that he will not miss heaven. That is why Apostle Paul says in Romans 15:2 (KJV), “Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
There was a testimony of an unbeliever whose wife was a Christian. He would come home drunk and mess up everywhere but his wife was always showing him love taking care of him inspite of his behavior. Then he went to his friend’s house and saw the way the wife treated them. He then told his friend that his wife was a lot better and treated him as a king inspite of his behaviour. His friend and himself decided to test the resolve of the wife one day. They went home very late and on getting home, the husband said the meal prepared by the wife was not what they would eat and the wife woke up at that odd hour and prepared another meal for both himself and his friend and inspite of their cantankerous behavior all through the night, the wife showed so much love that at the end of the day, both men surrendered that night to Christ, the Lord of the wife.
How are you helping your neighbour to build them up in the faith? It is not just by saying it because a lot of them have heard such sayings from different sources but have not changed. What they need is seeing a life that is truly transformed by what you say and being guided on how they can be same. It is however note worthy that the change needed in the other person may take a long time. This is why a Christian should exhibit long-suffering (Galatians 5:22 KJV) in his daily life and continuously fellowship with the Lord to get direction.
Action Point:
Are you building up others in the Lord? Show your neighbours love and help them to see the reason for showing love to others.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero