In 2003, on my last day attending the first church I ever worked at, an elder cornered me in the parking lot in an attempt to affirm me. “Adam, one thing I really like about you is that you seem to really love all different types of people. Where did you learn to do that?”
Stunned, I didn’t know another way to say it. “I learned that from Jesus in the Gospels.”
Sadly, in the 18 years I’ve been involved in church life, I’ve learned that there are far more Christians defined by their hatred for people than there are those defined by their love for all people.
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1
God is bigger than my opinion
We live in an age of opinions. Everyone has something to say about everything. And since we live in a reactionary society with an instant ability to speak our mind to thousands of people via Twitter, Facebook, and the like. This means we live in rude, violent times where the tongue is not tamed. (James 1)
To make matters worse, we live in a time of great pressure. When people are under pressure they reveal their weaknesses. Money is causing some of this pressure. But so is an open acknowledgement that some of the stuff we’ve done successfully in the past is failing today. And while that pressure, in community, should fuse us together to make a diamond it is too often burning away and leaving worthless coke.
As I read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount this morning one thing stuck out to me: I can’t love God and hate people. It’s impossible.
I don’t have the right to hate a single person. I’m not the judge of anyone. I’m not better than my neighbor. Instead, the Gospel lives through me when I practically acknowledge with my actions that my neighbor is worthy of my love and service. To hate my neighbor would be to hate the God who created my neighbor.
My opinions aren’t really that important to God. I won’t one day get a pat on the back from my Heavenly Father for having a great apologetic for the matters of the day. I won’t impress Jesus with my ability to divide people over things that don’t really matter.
But if I love my neighbor. But if I serve my neighbor. Then what?
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