I am learning to understand and listen to people here. Some of you just had a heart attack (my mother included). It seems, that as an American, Gospel-believing guy, that I don’t know everything. Shocking, I know. (Hopefully you are catching the sarcasm.)
My life, previous to this year, has been spent inside a bubble of a sub-culture called the American Evangelical World. This is the place where we have our own bookstores, radio-stations, schedules and views that concern us, the American Evangelical. Obviously, I do not condemn these things, but growing up in that environment has defiantly had its positive and negative impacts. In my life, I have seen the un-saved, lost or the un-evangelized as nothing more than a project, merely a ministry opportunity.
The idea of “us” and “them” has become something that influenced the way I make friends. The idea that “you shouldn’t have friends that aren’t Christians, at least, not close friends,” simply has left me lacking. When I read the Gospels and see Jesus truly being a friend toward those who are less than “Christ-like,” (i.e.: tax collectors, prostitutes, interested religious leaders, not to mention all of the disciples) I begin to realize that our opinion of, “in the world and not of it,” is completely un-Christ-like. I have friends who are Muslim. Only by being their friend, in the truest sense of the word, can I begin to understand them, and begin to truly love as Christ would have us to. It is an amazing thing to have a relationship with someone so different. God has given us his love. He has counted us friends and heirs with Jesus himself. Jesus is that “friend that sticks closer than a brother.” How better to show His love, than to be that same friend to someone else, no matter how different. I have come to believe that it is really not a question of what is the best philosophy. It is a question of who do we love more. Is it comfortable little atmosphere of Christianity? Or is it our neighbors, whom we gossip about the way they live, and how they are bringing down the neighborhood?
“Truly, I say to you, as you did not do unto one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”
-Yesuah ( Matthew 25:45)
Is it possible that we love ourselves more than our Savior?
Joel so amazing and eye opening to read your blogs! I am praying for you! I am praying that God continues to teach you and open your eyes to the world from his perspective!
Joel, good post bro. I’ve been reading your stuff a lot more. Oh by the way, I posted a link to your blog from mine. Hope that’s cool. Maybe we can start a network of like-minded folks. Peace Homie.