Love Someone As Your Neighbor
Two thoughts caught my attention and reminded me of so lessons I learned long ago.
1. Jesus loved the people He was with and made the most of each opportunity. So often I neglect the people I am with for some "more important" task like loving the people of the world. How often do I miss loving one because I am looking at the masses? Jesus never missed the individual. He loved the people He was with and so must I.
2. Jesus took time to be alone with the Father. It was this time that energized Him when He was with people. In my early days of ministry on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ Dr. Howard Hendricks of Dallas Theological Seminary taught us this principle. "You can never do enough for people if you are always surrounded by people." This was an encouragement to have a consistent time alone with God. If Jesus needed it, how much more do I need it. It is this time with God that gives me those "higher priorities and higher motivations" (pg 75) out of which I begin to love individuals as my neighbor.
This is where Loving like Jesus really gets tough and messy because some of the people around me are not so lovable and their lives are a mess. But what better thing can I do than to bring them into contact with the One who will love them unconditionally and can clean up their mess.
Lord, teach me to love those I am with. Teach me to see individuals and not just the masses. Amen
My thoughts, What are yours?
1 comment:
thanks for being real and honest. I too need to love even some people at church
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