Thursday, October 2, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: 2 Corinthians 8

What a blessing it is that God calls us to serve others! I find that when I am struggling, serving others makes me feel better. There is nothing quite like sharing God’s love with those around us. 

As Jesus said in the gospels, we are called to be the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). This means that we are meant to be a beacon of light to others and let Christ’s light shine through us. God’s love is too good of a gift to hide in our hearts. By serving others, not only do we show them the love of Christ, but we also find fulfillment in doing what God created us to do.

God did not give us freedom for us to do whatever we want and practice self-indulgence. Rather, he gave us this freedom so we can use his love and our personal gifts and talents to help other people. 

No matter how small it may seem, there are many different ways to serve others, and not just at church on Sundays. Lending a listening ear to a friend who is going through a rough patch, visiting someone who is lonely, or even helping someone carry their groceries are small ways that we can share the love of Christ with others. 

So many of us get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget what life is truly about – spreading the grace of Jesus and helping out our neighbor.

Galatians 5:13-14
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

During Jesus’ lifetime, it was his mission to spread God’s grace, love, and mercy to those who were struggling. He performed countless miracles and had many deep, eternally impactful conversations with those who had strayed far away from God. Through the freedom that comes with Christ’s sacrifice for us, we should use our time and talents to follow Jesus’ example and spread love wherever we go. 

Let’s go about our week thanking God for these wonderful opportunities to connect with others and share his love, and then put it into action!

Questions:
How can you serve others in your everyday life?

What are the spiritual gifts you can use to reach others in need?

Next Steps:
Attend GrowthTrack to discover your spiritual gifts and learn about ways in which you can serve God and others.

Make it your goal to perform a random act of kindness for a loved one or stranger today.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thanks for giving me the opportunity to love and serve others. Help shine your light through me to reach others who are in need. Show me what my spiritual gifts are and lead me to use them well to serve those around me. Please help me use my freedom in Christ to spread your love throughout the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:
Romans 12:17-18
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a Perrysburg attendee and regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.