A pastor friend and mine were talking on the phone and I
said something I often say. It is always
meant as a kindness but he challenged it in love and integrity. I said, “I like you and I have a choice about
that.”
His loving response was “I am pretty sure we have to like
everybody too.” John was not chastising
me. He was being his genuine honest
self. So I did the research. I cannot point to any particular place in the
Bible that says I have to like everyone.
What I can say is that I must be kind to everyone. I must be able to say that everyone gets the
opportunity to find a friend in me.
It is wise that I am vigilant over who I let into the inner
circle of my life. I must, however, be
predisposed to being good to everyone. I
must put everyone in the category of with my time and interest. I cannot meet everyone’s needs. I can determine that everyone in my path is
going to get my very best.
I am required to represent Christ to anyone I
encounter. Every individual is worthy of
my kindness, grace, generosity, and love.
It is not that me showing those things are so special. It is the cumulative impact of always being
that way with others that matters. It is
my obedience to the requirements of those things that makes me better.
Christ does not want me to be good to others just for their
sake. He wants it for me as well. When I live my life as though everyone matters
to me then they really do. When they
really matter to me how can I not treat them as friends?
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer
who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home
owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store."
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