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- Oct 26, 2007
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'The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I [am] the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:34 NKJV
It’s easy to forget how readily Jesus loved, well, everyone.
Jesus loved Jew and Gentile, men and women, youth and little children. He loved married and unmarried, rich and poor, zealot and tax collector, rebel and political insider.
If Jesus loved everyone, that’s fine. Most Christians actually are okay with that.
What messes things up? Realizing Jesus calls you to do the same.
Proof? Choose to live, and embrace living, in a diverse community. Where your neighbors hail from dozens of countries and speak a plethora of languages.
Where your neighbors are Protestant, Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Latin Pentecostal, Asian Presbyterian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Shinto, animist, agnostic, atheist, and “none of the above.”
Where your neighbors are registered Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Where they are super rich, upper middle class, middle class, lower middle class, lower class, and homeless.
One man whose family did just this remarked: “Yes we know…we have all kinds of neighbors. We actually want it that way. We want our children to be able to grow up and know, in their heart of hearts, that they love everyone.”
Just like Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, transform my vision of “neighbor.” Stretch my heart to love every person I know and meet.
It’s easy to forget how readily Jesus loved, well, everyone.
Jesus loved Jew and Gentile, men and women, youth and little children. He loved married and unmarried, rich and poor, zealot and tax collector, rebel and political insider.
If Jesus loved everyone, that’s fine. Most Christians actually are okay with that.
What messes things up? Realizing Jesus calls you to do the same.
Proof? Choose to live, and embrace living, in a diverse community. Where your neighbors hail from dozens of countries and speak a plethora of languages.
Where your neighbors are Protestant, Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Latin Pentecostal, Asian Presbyterian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Shinto, animist, agnostic, atheist, and “none of the above.”
Where your neighbors are registered Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Where they are super rich, upper middle class, middle class, lower middle class, lower class, and homeless.
One man whose family did just this remarked: “Yes we know…we have all kinds of neighbors. We actually want it that way. We want our children to be able to grow up and know, in their heart of hearts, that they love everyone.”
Just like Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, transform my vision of “neighbor.” Stretch my heart to love every person I know and meet.
