Loving People You Don\'t Like - Week 4

Opening Prayer:
God, we’ve spent four weeks considering how we can love people we don’t like. By now we might be getting annoyed with all this talk of annoying people. Be patient with us as we continue to run into our own limitations. We thank you for your never ending love and grace. Help us to recenter our hearts on the example you have given us in Jesus. We love you and we want to love your people well. May our discussion today reflect this desire of our hearts. Amen.

Read Aloud:
Matthew 5:37
Let your yes mean yes, and your no mean no. Anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Luke 5.15-16
News of him spread even more and huge crowds gathered to listen and to be healed from their illnesses. But Jesus would withdraw to deserted places for prayer.

Matthew 6.33
Instead, desire first and foremost God's kingdom and God's righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
 
Application Questions:

• The idea of boundaries as a form of love can feel counterintuitive. Can you think of times when you have seen this reality play out?
• Jesus’ example of setting boundaries brings our limitations to the forefront. Which of your own limits do you feel most acutely when you are attempting to love difficult people?
• Do you have boundaries in place around your time? Are there segments of your time that are available to other people and segments that are not?

Praying for People We Don’t Like:  
Let’s close out this sermon series by praying for people we don’t like. Take a moment to think of an individual or group of people that you find difficult to love. Share your person or or group. Take time for each person to write out a prayer or go around the circle praying out loud for these people.

• Remember that they are created in the image of God.
• Ask God to help you bring both truth and love to your conversations.
• Make space in your heart for forgiveness if needed.

Taking it Further:
Check these out to take the heart of the sermon and our discussion further this week.

Brene Brown’s Unlocking Us Podcast:
Living Into Our Values
https://brenebrown.com/podcast/living-into-our-values/

‘Boundaries’ by Henry Cloud and John Townsend, and their website full of resources
https://www.boundariesbooks.com