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Tuesday... Yes, it makes such a difference.


1 Peter 4:8 (MSG), "Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything."

Tuesday... Yes, it makes such a difference.

Peter the writer of this letter wrote it to Christ-followers who were being persecuted because they followed Christ. It was not a popular thing to do.

He starts this chapter 4 off by saying in verse 1 (MSG), "Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him." Yes, we too need to learn to think like him. Verse 2 says, "Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way." Now that gets to the point.

If we keep reading, down in verse 8 Peter gets practical and personal. He says, "Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically everything." Remember, "learn to think like him."


Now the New International Reader's Version says verse 8 this way, "Most of all, love one another deeply. Love erases many sins by forgiving them." And the Amplified Bible says, "Above all, have fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others]." Yes, that is the way Jesus thought and lived.

Do you remember when Jesus was hanging on a cross where he was going to die as a sacrifice for our sins? And do you remember what he said? Well, Luke 2:34 (NLT) says, "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing.'" God loved us so much that he sent his Son to die for our sins. Not his sins, our sins. Now that is ultimate love in action.

Verses 1-2 in the New Living Translation says, "So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won't spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God." And by the way verse 8 in the NLT says, "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."

Yes, love makes such a difference. It really does! "Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything." So let's "Learn to think like him." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning


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