Your Purpose 6—Love Well, See Everyone as Equals

This quote, from The Externally-Focused Church by Rusaw and Swanson, is arresting:

Christians have a difficult task, not because the message isn’t compelling, but because we aren’t always compelling messengers. The world is full of people who have been hurt by those who were supposed to love them—people they should have been able to trust. Before churches will be heard, they must re-establish trust. To establish trust, they must first show their ability to love.

How are you showing Jesus’ unconditional love to those around you? To your church family? To your neighbors and co-workers? To your greater community? To your state/country? To the world?

Does it look like inclusion or exclusion? Compassion? Kindness? Gentleness? Patience? Is it done with humility—putting others first? Is there no agenda besides extending God’s grace and mercy to another?

Pray through Colossians 3:11-17 as your prayer of inclusion and unity for your church community today:

Colossians 3

11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and leaders in a diversity of fields for over 30 years. She has also been EquipConnectServe Director at her 1,200 member church since 1999.  Contact Shirley.

Photo © Shirley Giles Davis, all rights reserved.