Do You Pick and Choose?

Isn’t it a shame we live in a society that is driven by popularity, social status, and physical appearance? We are judgemental and conceited; picking and choosing our friends based on social norms; wanting nothing to do with those that do not fit our “little mold”.

You say “Oh, I’m not like that” and I say…

“OH REALLY; Let’s Test That Theory…”

When is the last time you…

Hugged a derelict
Invited co-worker to your home for dinner
Asked a person that wasn’t in your clique to have lunch with you
Loaned or gave money to the man on the street corner
Bought a cupcake at a bake sale put on by a different denomination
Tolerated the person driving 55 in a 65 mph zone
Offered to let someone go ahead of you in the grocery store check-out
Spoke kind words to the person that seems to be taking their sweet time waiting on you
Congratulated a co-worker on receiving the promotion you wanted

Need I say more?

When you get alone before the Lord do you ask Him to teach you to love others? I do…but fall short at times when He calls me to love the unlovely. To love the unlovely might mean we:

We are judged and ridiculed by others
Go without something we think we “NEED”
Are not the center of attention
Have to be delayed or inconvenienced
Have to humble ourselves

Loving the unlovely is not easy but Jesus did. He was a friend to the poor and a friend to sinners. We are instructed to be tolerant of people and love the unlovely…feed the poor and friend the sinner…

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

Aren’t you glad Jesus doesn’t pick and choose…You just might not have made the cut!!!