Your Relationship With God Can Be Seen in How You Treat People

One of the greatest reflections of our faith is not simply in the prayers we pray or the songs we sing, but in the way we treat those around us. Jesus Himself reminded us that the commandments could be summed up in two simple truths:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

(Matthew 22:37–39, NIV)

Our relationship with God is never just vertical, it is also horizontal. If we claim to love Him, that love must pour into the way we speak to, care for, forgive, and serve others.

Compassion Over Condemnation

The Apostle John wrote, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20).

It is easy to lift our hands in worship but hard to extend those same hands in kindness when people disappoint us. Yet true discipleship is proven when we choose compassion over condemnation, forgiveness over grudges, and patience over irritation.

The Power of Mercy

Jesus told us in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Mercy is not weakness, it is the strength to withhold judgment and extend grace, even when it is not deserved. When we forgive and show mercy, we mirror the very heart of God.

Serving as a Reflection of Christ

Our Savior washed the feet of His disciples to teach us humility. Likewise, when we serve the hungry, clothe the poor, or simply encourage someone who is weary, we are serving Christ Himself. He said:

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

(Matthew 25:40, NIV)

This means every act of kindness, every patient conversation, every gentle correction, and every open hand is a testimony of our relationship with God.

A Call for Jonahville

As a church with a Kingdom agenda, Jonahville is called to be a place where people don’t just hear about God’s love, but where they feel it through us. Let us be a body of believers who choose love over bitterness, unity over division, and generosity over selfishness.

When people walk into Jonahville, may they encounter the living God through the way we treat them, with compassion, grace, and dignity.

✨ Reflection:

Ask yourself, when others see how I treat them, do they see Jesus in me?