Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7 KJV
Yes, that means the thief, the cheat, the gay/lesbian, the murderer, the liar, the adulterer, the drug addict, the sex addict, the God hater, the homeless, the fatherless, the widow, and the person of another skin tone. All should be receiving the same love from you that Christ afforded you on the cross.
How else will they know the love of Christ?
LOVE THEM! I know how hard it is to not look at a murderer or abuser without disgust in your head. I’ve had the same thoughts way too many times to count.
But have you ever for a moment stopped and asked yourself what chain of events lead them to their “label”?
What about the rapist or the sex traffickers?
Could it be that they themselves were raped/molested as a child or teen and just never healed from the pain? Instead they chose to take the pain out on others.
What about the woman who stole food from the store to feed her family because she felt she had no other means of providing? How desperate and scared she must have felt 😦
What about the man or woman who have constantly been overlooked for that promotion, though they were more than qualified, and finally succumbed to the pressing advances of the boss for favors? Trust me it happens to both genders!
What about the gay man who longed for a father’s love only to find it not in the heart of his father but the bed of some man?
What about the lesbian who has been abused physically and mentally by every man she has been with only to find peace in the embrace and touch of another woman?
They all have stories that led them to where they are.
Sadly, I believe we just look at the labels, we have created, instead of the person.
Here allow me to break it down….
Stu
Lover of sex
Porn addict
Alcoholic
Chronic masturbator (during my teen years)
Liar
Thief
Murderer (with my tongue)
Bisexual (for a time)
Those are all labels people have devised to look at me through a lense. And a very small lense at that.
Even I myself saw me through a lense until God showed me parts of my story that were hidden (for lack of a better word).
But it wasn’t it until others started seeing me through the eyes of Jesus and with the love He poured out on the cross that the things on the left became the things on the right…
These labels need to disappear…
For how will the world truly see it’s need for Christ, if we the bearers of His light and love do not show it to EVERYONE!
Love them as Christ loves you so God will be glorified!
Remember you had a label once too!
Have you read Romans chapter 1?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I have. And your thoughts?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think there is room to call sin what it is.
Not in the sense of judging people, because like the Bible says, “And such were some of you.”
But in the sense that sin bringeth forth death.
I think people should be told that. Because we don’t want them to die and go to Hell.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Valid point and one I agree with. Because if we do love them as Christ does we will speak the truth. But we will not have that chance to tell them unless we love them enough to see the hurting person on the inside literally begging for a way out.
Because if we call out their sin before showing the love of Christ to them through us all we really are doing is judging them.
God is a relational God. He made us the same way. Build the relationship while showing them the love of Christ and they will listen and repent.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I pretty much feel unqualified to call anyone to repent, if that makes sense.
But I do think different situations and different people react to both types of messages.
Or rather that each message has validity.
Hence the verses in Jude.
“And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
I think I get that because love doesn’t work with me. I’m one of the hard headed ones that has most often been led to repent by stinging rebuke.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have some friends like that I have used the fear of hell tactic on but it was still done out of love for them 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
And that makes perfect sense!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very true bro!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It takes courage; using the courage and love and respect of Christ.
Thank you for pointing this out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This post was not planned Kathy. It was going to be a Daily Inspiration for next month. God just kept telling to write more than just copying the verse as I normally do. Then I started typing and this is the result. I may make total sense to some and then to others it will make no sense.
You are right, as always 🙂 It takes a lot courage to step out of the normal term of love and see each person as someone Jesus died for regardless of their past or where they are right now. But it’s a love for others I want to exhibit more!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Your Spirit responses are good when you go with the flow, Stuart! The love comes through.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Kathy 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! PREACH!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
#LoveThemAll… as Christ!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great Hashtag!
LikeLiked by 1 person