Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Loving Beyond the Labels

Luke 10:25-29

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?



Loving Beyond the Label

We all know the 'suppose to's.' We know we're supposed to take care of our families, we're supposed to be polite to people, we're supposed to work hard and make a good living. We all know them, but we all fall short in one way or another.

Consider the lawyer in the passage. He correctly interpretted the laws and the prophets in a quick, concise sentance. Yet, he wanted clarification from Jesus. "And who is my neighbor?" He wanted to know to whom he was 'supposed to' give this great love.

We spend alot of time classifying and categorizing the people around us. We have work friends, church friends, family friends, aquaintances, and often, sometimes an act of wisdom, we don't let the groups mix. Not everyone in your life needs to know about your crazy Uncle Bob. But can we love beyond the labels? Can we actually love someone who is essentially 'no one' to us?

After this question by the lawyer, Jesus offered the parable of the Good Samaritan who offered aid and comfort to someone who was 'no one' to him. Jesus used this to demonstrate that everyone is someone to somebody, if only to Jesus.

Dear ones, we ARE the Body of the Living Christ. Everyone should be someone to us. The people we pass on the street, the people who annoy us in traffic, the people who talk in the movie theater. They are all someone to someone and should be someone to us.

Your Uncle Bob might be crazy, but he's still your uncle. Well, that person standing on the corner with the sign about 'will work for food' might just be a scammer, but he's still a person.

The call is simple. Love everyone. You are not responsible for meeting their needs, but you are responsible for remembering that they are a person, capable and in need of love.

Love your neighbor. Who is your neighbor? Anyone worth the blood of Jesus. I think that about covers it.

Peace.

Sis. Stephanie Robinson

Lifeline is the evangelistic ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA. The church website is www.fcchosengeneration.com.

Feel free to share this message. For questions or to subscribe, send an email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. You can reach the church at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church
Where your passions become relality
because you are a CHOSEN GENERATION!

455 HWY 138 Suite C
Jonesboro, GA 30238

Alton Watkins, Pastor

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