God recently showed me that I'm not very inclusive. As a matter of fact, I can be down right judgemental. As I become active in a truly diverse church with people of different races, socio-economic status, education, and occupations; but with the same love of Jesus, I realized I have some changing to do.
I'd been thinking about that, when I visited "Becoming Me's" blog and saw the song/video below. I try to be selective in adding videos because I know your time is valuable. Who has time to watch a 5 minute video?
But this is a good one. The song is My Jesus, by Todd Agnew (with video from the Passion of the Christ). It talks about how Jesus hung out with the thieves and liars, the poor and "the least of these." How he opposed the arrogant, rich and proud, and then asks "So which do you want to be?" wow. My favorite line says "Jesus would never be accepted in my church, the blood and dirt on his feet might stain the carpet."
I can be proud, arrogant, comfortable. Would Jesus accept me? Or would he run past me to hug the person I'm judging? Take a look around you and ponder the same question I am...
"If Jesus came today, would I fall at his dirty, bloody feet...or would I be too worried about getting my cute new pants dirty?"
Proverbs 14:31 -- He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Luke 14:12-14 --Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Revelations 3:16-18 - - So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
12 comments:
Very powerful, very soul searching. Something I too think a lot about. May God expand our horizons to include all of those He is hoping to reach.
Very thought provoking! It's that unconditional love that He wants us to have for others. Not just our comfortable others, but the unlovable others.
I think we might say, "Well, I don't know how to love those people; they're SOooooo.... different." When, really, is there ANY difference? Is the love to be different?
We've been studying I John, and he lays it out straight: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." (I John 3:16) And if we have stumbling blocks in our ability to "lay down our lives" for someone else, then we ought to be praying for help in how to do that.
"Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him." (3:21&22)
I may not have rich expensive perfume to pour upon His feet, but, surely, there is something as valuable. I need to let that go.
Powerful verses and thoughts today!
To some people, different is scary.
JM (my 17 yr old son) had long hair down the middle of his back & a beard & mustache (he gets the mustache from my side of the family). I warned him he would be pre-judged by people. And he was. He said "that's not fair"...and "why?". ???
Some people said he looked like Jesus Christ....and to be honest, he did look alot like the pictures that we have of what we perceive Jesus to look like.
Other people said he looked like Charles Mansion...and well..some days he did look a little scragglely. (my own word).
People did agree on one thing. He is a genuinely nice guy. Regardless of his appearance.
SO, I guess there are some things the teenagers can teach us after all.
I think you'll like your diverse church. I spent 20 years in a church I called The United Nations church because it was so culturally and ethnically diverse. It resided nearly in the ghetto and I became very streetwise about a lot of things that my little suburuban mind had never conceived. My kids were born and raised there which was great because they accepted people who are "different" than us from the very beginning.
Our current church is still a United Nations church, but we've gone from the ghetto to the ritsy side of town and I'm having to get used to folks way at the other end of the spectrum. But when it's all said and done we're all just people, people who desperately need Jesus.
That is one of my very favorite songs. It says alot in a few verses, doesn't it? Really makes one think. Jesus certainly was not selfish with His time or His circle of friends.
Don't feel bad, we all get in our little groups where we are comfortable and tend to get stagnant. I am guilty myself. Thanks for the reminder that we are to follow Jesus' example and reach out to everyone, even if they are different than us.
Love ya,
Starr
I have often wondered how the modern world would perceive Jesus. No doubt he would be labeled crazy and put in an institution (which is quite possible where I would meet him!).
Loving the unlovable is a tough ask. I'm not doing all that well at loving those I love so obviously I need to really work on this, with the Lord's help of course.
Reminds me of that song that was popular a few years ago, What if God Was One of Us?
P.S.Thanks for the guilt trip on Bonita's blog. you KNOW how well I handle guilt.
Ok, I was never going to get another tatoo (I don't regret mine but one is enough) HOWEVER, now I have to come over to your house, "Hold a gun to your head" (don't worry everyone...just quoting CK, I would NEVER hold a gun to her head), drag you out, MAKE you get a fish tatoo, your kids will be upset, MR Chatty Kelly will be furious, it WILL hurt...because tatoos do, but my guilt will be gone.
P.S. Want to stop for ice-cream on the way back? ;)
Do you know how popular your rating will look if I keep leaving comments on the same blog?
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First of all, it was so NOT Bonita's blog. It was 2nd Cup of Coffee.
Second of all, my email address still works too, you know.
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