To have greater faith, love the least

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If you want greater faith, ask yourself: Whom do I like the least?

We prefer to hang around people who like us and believe the same things we do and belong to the same tribe. This is good! God works in our lives through those who will support us spiritually and emotionally. Have you noticed that you feel happier when you’re with happy people? God is present in that; he’s gifting you with happiness through the gift of community.

We prefer to avoid those whom we like the least. But God works in our lives through them, too. He reveals to us, through our encounters with them, how much we trust him, how easily we slip into sin, and how little we love him.

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you (pay attention, this is important), whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me”. (Matthew 25:40)

These are the people we must love and pray for most.

Jesus said, “If you love only those that love you, what good is that? Even sinners love those that love them.” (Luke 6:32)

To have greater faith, it is not enough to love; we must prove our love. We don’t necessarily have to put ourselves in harm’s way to do that. The Holy Spirit tells us how to love the unlikeable like Jesus does.

Start by praying for them. Take your focus off of what you don’t like about them and keep your eyes on Jesus.