Session 3: Practical Steps in Loving Those Around Us

This session challenges us to move beyond the overwhelming feeling of 'what should we do?' when it comes to loving our neighbors. We're presented with a practical progression: stranger to acquaintance to relationship. It starts simply—learning a name, offering a wave, sharing a meal. The beauty lies in recognizing that hospitality isn't about perfection or entertainment; it's about accessibility and presence. Drawing from the story of Levi's party in Luke 5, we see Jesus meeting people where they were, not waiting for them to come to Him. The religious leaders called these guests 'scum,' but Jesus saw beloved children of God. Similarly, our neighbors may not look, act, or believe like us, but we're called to go to them. The boy's five loaves and two fish remind us that what we have—even when it seems insufficient—becomes miraculous in God's hands. We don't need the perfect home, the right words, or an impressive testimony. We simply need to show up, share our lives, and trust that as we give what we have, God will multiply it. The Great Commandment doesn't require us to convert our neighbors or have all the answers—it asks us to love them authentically, allowing Jesus to naturally emerge in our conversations and care.