October 11, 2021 – Click here to listen
Yesterday I visited a new church. It was so bitterly cold in that auditorium my lips were turning blue; well maybe that is a slight exaggeration but at least that is how I felt. I told my wife I wished I had worn my Alaska parka. It felt so good to exit that building and walk into the warmth and bright sunshine that I just stood outside for a while basking in the sun before getting in my car.
It is a shame because the worship music was excellent as was the preacher’s message and the cold was a major distraction. At times it was all I could think about. He spoke to how we tend to “label” folks and how it goes against core teachings of Jesus. Democrats, Republicans, blacks, whites Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, straight people, homosexuals, transgenders, atheists, agnostics, believers, police officers, politicians, Catholics, Protestants, are just a few labels. Labeling them out of hand divides us, and then different groups band together and seem to dislike or even hate anyone who is different.
God loves us all and created us all. For sure He dislikes behavior contrary to His laws; however, make no mistake He loves every last one of us and desires that all come to know him. 1 Tim. 2:3 – This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
I hate to admit it, but I am guilty of labeling, often from the moment I see someone and long before I meet them or even speak a word to them. I know that people are people and there are good and bad folks of every persuasion and I do try to fight this and look at in the same manner as
God does, but literally, it is the first thing I think of when I see someone.
I have found that regardless of stereotypes that there are good-hearted people and black-hearted bad people in every label category. It is God’s job to sort them out and separate the wheat from the chaff and certainly not mine or yours. I did hear the preacher say that patience always comes before kindness in every listing of positive traits in the Bible.
It is not lost on me that I should use more patience and kindness, but unquestionably it is difficult. For example, I dislike President Biden, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer and think they are doing great harm to our country and indeed the world. They are all Democrats, and some might assume all Democrats have the same agenda. The label of Democrat can trigger automatic dismissal of all of them being one of those radical United States hating socialist wannabes. Many black people look upon all police officers as evil as soon as they see the uniform. Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Assembly of God all are divided incredibly using God’s own Bible interpretation to disparage one another. Wars have been fought over it.
We will find it near impossible to bring about any unity in this world or even within Christ’s church with that line of thinking. God looks at each of us in a kind manner and genuinely desires that we all come to Him. He is incredibly patient with us and puts up with so much to allow time for all to come to the knowledge of truth.
We are charged with witnessing to others about Christ and the Christian walk. The Bible is clear that we are to go to all nations and preach the Gospel. We can’t just go to the label(s) that we fall in but to ALL nations and all people.
1 Cor. 13:4
“Love is patient and kind . . . “