Walk in Good Works
"Nowhere do we imitate God more than in showing mercy." - Albert Barnes
One of the reasons I love my pastor in general is his Godly wisdom and insight, particularly, in his ability to debunk certain accepted "Christian" colloquialisms and common cultural philosophies. If you don't own any of your own "mother wit" or "street philosophy" explicitly, you are probably implicitly, if not secretly, harboring some of our culture’s cute colloquialisms. For example, "God knows my heart", "God helps those who help themselves", "If you're scared, go to church", "Follow your heart", et cetera, etc.
Now, I would be remiss if I left out the one philosophy that has guided most of my adult life and Christian walk. I felt like it gave me a pass and justified my sin. I thought God agreed with me and the Bible backed me up, when I would say about one of my Christian brothers/sisters, "I love you, but I don't have to like you." This simple street saying leads to a "hands-off" approach, forms a physical buffer and infuses a mental disconnect from individuals whom we don't care to entertain or be involved with for any extended amount of time. When the truth is these are the very persons, we are individually called to serve and minister to, because they personally pluck our last nerve, rain on our parades, get under our skin, rub us the wrong way, or God forbid cause us "to lay down our religion". Do you have them in mind now?
Who else should witness the love of Christ protruding through your personality more than "the thorn in your side"? The truth is as a Christian brother/sister these individuals are displaying an attitude, action, or creating an atmosphere you deem other than Christian or "unGodly". And if this is the case, your responsibility is not to build a barrier between you two. It is to build a bridge. It is to show compassion and mercy, because they are exhibiting behaviors that are preventing Christian fellowship. Your job is now to pray for them. If it is possible, go to them in love and explain the riff you feel they have forged by their attitude. Then intercede some more when they reject your loving concern. Then go out of your way to show them the love of God, you said you had for them, until your prayers and partnership with God's love have grown so you even like them, now!
If Martin King, Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Teresa modeled our Messiah's message in any manner, they each uniquely personified, that you can't miss with mercy. You never lose by helping people! Compassion is the one common Christian and cultural colloquialism we all should carry. We should Walk in Good Works!!!
