How Will They Know?

Good morning, my friend!  Good morning, Father!

“Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that.” - Luke 6:31-34 

Father, it is relatively easy to get along with people that are like us.  We can understand how they think and live.  But when people are unlike us, we hold one another at arms length and look at each other with a jaundiced eye, because we are afraid. When we are tempted to only see the differences, remind us of the things we have in common.  We all hurt.  We all have needs.  We all have people we love who love us.  We all suffer disappointment, have hopes, dreams and fears.  We all want to be understood, accepted and valued.  And we all are Your children and are loved by You.

Father, I lift my friend, myself and the Body of Christ.  Give us new eyes with which to see the world - eyes that see beyond the differences to see the commonalities.  Where there is disagreement, help us to extend grace and mercy.  Soften and direct our hearts to be generous to the poor, to embrace the difficult and to love the unlovely.  Help us to value others more highly than ourselves.  May we be easy to spot - the ones with our hearts on our sleeves and patches on our knees, worn thin from both prayer and the washing of feet.  Make us into a beautiful balance of boldness and strength tempered with kindness and unconditional love.  Purify our hearts and heal our Christianity to be more like Your kingdom and less like a club, that they might know that we are Christians, not by our t-shirt slogans or pithy protest signs, but by our love...  Change our hearts, Lord.  Once again may they know that we are Christians by our love.  In Jesus Name ❤️

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