Build Community 3

Deuteronomy 10:18-19

One of my worst experiences was when I first began working as an editor at a newspaper. It took me a while to learn the ropes and really become comfortable in what I was doing. But I felt the other editors were a bit snobbish and impatient with me. They had very little tolerance for my mistakes in those first few weeks.

I said nothing about it but applied myself even harder until I could at last do my job as well as they did. But I did think that it was unfair of those other editors. There must have been a time when they were new to the job. Didn’t they have to learn as they went too?

Deuteronomy has some instruction for the followers of God. What does God do? What are the faithful to do? What should the faithful remember?

It is very easy to look down on the people who are not devout Christians. We can consider the non-believer, the non-member to be ignorant and foolish. We may even think of them as somewhat corrupt and evil. We know the truth about holy living; why don’t they?

But before we get too comfortable in our smug attitude and self-righteous opinion, we must first remember that we are commanded by God to love the aliens – those people who are not part of our faith community. We are to care for the outsider – the stranger, the visitor – in the same way and for the same reason that God does. God welcomes the stranger. God loves the alien.

We must remember that the faith and knowledge we hold now has not always been with us. Some of us have come to Jesus later in life, turning away from a life of sin or at least a life of lukewarm faith. Some of us have been believers since birth but, honestly, has your faith always been as deep and strong as it is today?

We all have times of doubt. We all have times when our faith in God seems to wane or falter. Even if we think of ourselves as firm in our faith we certainly encounter times when living out the love of God is a frightening proposition.

We need to keep this in mind as we deal with the new believer or the visitor. Our faith community should not be a community of judgment and snobbery. We should be welcoming and loving to all, remembering that at one time or another we are all less than perfect.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can remind you that you need to be more welcoming?