Oftentimes we choose to love others because it’s “what a good Christian should do.” And that’s not bad, but as we mature spiritually, we can take a deeper look at what perspective Jesus modeled for us. When we take opportunities in our community to volunteer we become a part of the fabric of the city. It becomes ours. And, as outlined in Jeremiah 29:7, “…if it prospers, you too will prosper.” This is an encouragement to be involved in the city we live in and to be a difference maker where and when we can.

When we look at Jesus, we get to model our lives after Him. He interacts with people in ways that they feel seen and valued. Jesus does this in two distinct things: He gives love a name and a story. We see this in action with the woman Jesus heals in Mark 5:24. He shows love and care, but doesn’t stop there. He sees the person first.

In John 2, we are witness to Jesus’ first miracle. He turns water into wine at a wedding, which may seem unusual, but hospitality was paramount in that time and that culture. This first miracle of Jesus has a lot of parallels to Moses’ first miracle. However, there are a lot of differences as well. By comparing and contrasting both miracles, we learn that with Jesus we always have more than enough.

How do we experience a God who is invisible to us? We know that God loves us, but we might not feel it with all that is happening in our lives. There are two ways that God shows His love: God makes Himself visible by manifesting Himself in Jesus and God makes Himself visible by manifesting Himself in us. As stated in 1 John 4:12 - we are the ones who can show God’s love for us by loving one another.