Scripture Reference: Proverbs 3:5-6, John 3:16, Ephesians 3:18
When Jesus conducted his ministry, he had the unique and uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life; culture, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity were barriers that he ministered through with ease. Was Jesus a wordsmith? Perhaps, considering that he spoke in parables which confounded the educated, yet the uneducated caught on and embraced the Gospel. Was it the miracles, signs, and wonders? It didn’t hurt that he could raise the dead, heal the sick, straighten contorted limbs, bring sight to the blind, cause men to walk, and feed over 5000 people with the biblical equivalent to a McDonalds Happy meal. What made Jesus’ ministry so potent and powerful was his ability to meet people where they are, and to begin to love them there.
Not everyone was raised in the church (surprise!), has the same value system, or believes in the same God – if they believe in one at all! However, the beauty of God’s love is that it believes that a loving relationship with Him is always possible with everyone! Considering that the Gospel continued to spread after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and continues to spread to the ends of the earth, is a testament of that love. Reciting John 3:16 does not necessarily reach a person; demonstrating the same love that was shed upon us through Christ does! If the central theme of the Holy Bible is God’s love towards man, then the life of a Christian should be such that all 66 books of the bible are expressed – without ever having to say a word.
When Christians come upon a believer, or even a non-believer, we should always approach cautiously – we may not be aware of the situations and circumstances that individual may be involved, experienced, or currently going through. In our attempt at being “loving”, we may cause more damage than harm. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit on how to reach them and how to love them; where we fail to do so lies in the leaning upon our own understanding, based on visual judgment. In our own understanding of love, kindness, and compassion, there is often callousness, insensitivity, and ignorance, wrapped in the garment of well- meaning intentions. The damage is that, at best, we misrepresent Christ and the Gospel; at worst, we compel people to reject salvation and a loving relationship with God through Christ. Neither scenario is a particularly good one.
When God extends the invitation of a loving relationship towards his children through His son, Jesus Christ, he is keenly and intimately aware of where each individual is spiritually. Since the invitation is a personal invitation, he already knows the spiritual position and condition of that person. And unlike some of us who cringe at a person’s issues and form judgments (i.e. excuses for opting out), the love of Christ doesn’t flinch, and beckons even more. That is the beauty of the Gospel - it expresses an unfaltering love to all who will receive it, regardless to where they might be spiritually when they accept it. From the reformed drug addict, to the religious zealot, and everything in between, one thing they all have in common is this – Christ touched their heart where they were before they received salvation. For the body of Christ, from the street corners and alleyways to the church pews, we are also to minister to others in love – right where they are!
When Jesus conducted his ministry, he had the unique and uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life; culture, socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity were barriers that he ministered through with ease. Was Jesus a wordsmith? Perhaps, considering that he spoke in parables which confounded the educated, yet the uneducated caught on and embraced the Gospel. Was it the miracles, signs, and wonders? It didn’t hurt that he could raise the dead, heal the sick, straighten contorted limbs, bring sight to the blind, cause men to walk, and feed over 5000 people with the biblical equivalent to a McDonalds Happy meal. What made Jesus’ ministry so potent and powerful was his ability to meet people where they are, and to begin to love them there.
Not everyone was raised in the church (surprise!), has the same value system, or believes in the same God – if they believe in one at all! However, the beauty of God’s love is that it believes that a loving relationship with Him is always possible with everyone! Considering that the Gospel continued to spread after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and continues to spread to the ends of the earth, is a testament of that love. Reciting John 3:16 does not necessarily reach a person; demonstrating the same love that was shed upon us through Christ does! If the central theme of the Holy Bible is God’s love towards man, then the life of a Christian should be such that all 66 books of the bible are expressed – without ever having to say a word.
When Christians come upon a believer, or even a non-believer, we should always approach cautiously – we may not be aware of the situations and circumstances that individual may be involved, experienced, or currently going through. In our attempt at being “loving”, we may cause more damage than harm. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit on how to reach them and how to love them; where we fail to do so lies in the leaning upon our own understanding, based on visual judgment. In our own understanding of love, kindness, and compassion, there is often callousness, insensitivity, and ignorance, wrapped in the garment of well- meaning intentions. The damage is that, at best, we misrepresent Christ and the Gospel; at worst, we compel people to reject salvation and a loving relationship with God through Christ. Neither scenario is a particularly good one.
When God extends the invitation of a loving relationship towards his children through His son, Jesus Christ, he is keenly and intimately aware of where each individual is spiritually. Since the invitation is a personal invitation, he already knows the spiritual position and condition of that person. And unlike some of us who cringe at a person’s issues and form judgments (i.e. excuses for opting out), the love of Christ doesn’t flinch, and beckons even more. That is the beauty of the Gospel - it expresses an unfaltering love to all who will receive it, regardless to where they might be spiritually when they accept it. From the reformed drug addict, to the religious zealot, and everything in between, one thing they all have in common is this – Christ touched their heart where they were before they received salvation. For the body of Christ, from the street corners and alleyways to the church pews, we are also to minister to others in love – right where they are!
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