Jesus was a friend to sinners. He didn’t just hang out with his
followers. His disciples and family
members were not the only ones he showed kindness to. He chose to eat with sinners, talk to the
Pharisees, and make time for the outcasts.
He brought healing to the lepers and the lame with the touch of His
hand.
As He walked the streets and hillsides, He loved the
unlovable and cared for the less fortunate.
He loved others equally and valued each life he encountered during his
time here on earth. He didn’t force His
love, but He always willingly offered it.
And when He hung on the cross, He willingly offered His life as a
sacrifice for the sins of all.
He desires to have a relationship with each of us. He changed lives then and He is changing lives
today. He wants to use us to reach those
who do not yet know Him.
As believers, we are the Church, the Body of Christ. It is our responsibility as the hands and
feet of Jesus to reach out to this lost and dying world. We can’t just go to our prospective church
buildings and hang out with our Christian friends and expect that to
happen.
We must remember that a building with stained glass windows
and a steeple on top is not the only place someone can come to know
Christ. We must choose to meet people
where they are, both physically and spiritually. If they won’t come to the church, we must
take the church to them. We must be
willing to take the gospel to the streets.
We have to realize that if we always have “church” the same
way, we may very well only be reaching the same people groups. We have to be open to change. As the Spirit leads, we must follow. Sometimes this means getting out of our
comfort zones or trying something new. I
believe that if our hearts and our motives are sincere, then He will meet us
where we are and our efforts will be blessed.
When we reach out to “the least of these”, we are reaching
out to Jesus. Each of us has been
created in the image of Christ. Keeping
that in mind, what will you do the next time a homeless person walks through
your church door in need of help? What
will you do to reach those who refuse to darken the door of your church
building? Will you use your gifts and
talents for the Lord in your community? Will
you try to establish relationships with those who don’t know Christ as their
Lord and Savior?
What will you say to Jesus when you stand before Him to
account for what you did for him on this earth?
Will He say, “Well done my good and faithful servant?”
Labels: faith
