“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We have heard that old expression time and time again throughout our lives. Don’t allow the outward appearance of someone or something influence how we feel.
But that is exactly what we often do in our churches. We judge other people by their appearance. If someone comes into our church or we meet someone in our life we make judgments based on how they look. We decide what kind of person they may be based on how they are dressed or how they wear their hair or if they have tattoos.
When we do this we are missing out on an opportunity to become a friend to another person. We are passing up a chance to get to know another person and to let that person get to know us. If we will be open and honest with the people we meet, if we can engage them in conversation and be ourselves with them, we will open the door for them to be honest with us.
When we do that we will likely find that in spite of how another person may look they probably have similar dreams and fears to our own. We will likely discover that they are people struggling with life the same way we do.
Jesus ate with people who were rejected by the majority of society. He socialized with people that others did not like. He spent time with people that others wanted to avoid. When questioned about this what did Jesus say?
Like Jesus we are also here for the sinner. We are here for the people who are sick in their souls. We are here for those who are sick with loneliness, poverty, anger, grief and depression. We are here for those who are sick with sin – who live a life far from God.
Like Jesus we are encouraged to be a friend to people who need a friend. We are encouraged to be honest about ourselves, open with our feelings, and transparent with our beliefs. In that way we can make friends with those who are not normally part of our life, and we can help them make friends with the greatest healer of them all – Jesus.
DAILY CHALLENGE: Who do you know who is spiritually “sick” and needs your friendship?
