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Devotional Thought of the Day

 ⁴⁰  Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40 (MSG)

Yesterday I referred to an article that talked about how we can mistreat those who gather with us in church, simply because we want our service done well, reverent, uplifting.  And we forget that the service is not about us pleasing God with our perfection, but His ministering to us in our brokenness…

In a way, today’s article is similar – not about in the church, but about a group of people that are often overlooked, or even deliberately ignored by the church.  At least that’s how they might perceive it.

Here’s the article:

http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/10/29/do-churches-alienate-intellectuals#.UnEWVCIQddc.facebook

Now you might think – the intellectuals?  They are the “least of my brothers?” Seriously?

The answer of course, is yes. If they are the ones who because of their lot in life we choose to ingore.  If they are the ones we think are beyond our call, who don’t deserve to be brought to Christ.

We might assume they won’t respond, we might justify our inaction saying they won’t listen, they’ve got their mind made up.  We might read the article and get defensive, saying we can’t capitulate (using one of “their words) or compromise on Christian values.  (for example – I’ll work with them on Global warming – but never never abortion)  even thoguh the article doesn’t say compromise.  We can talk with them, discuss with them, treat them as people who are like us, sinners in need of God. We can treat them like people, befriend them, learn from them, love them. We can struggle alongside them, for they are really no different than us.

Maybe your issue isn’t with the intellectuals, but we all have ot be aware of the walls we build, of the divisions, cultural,, age, education, wealth, ethnic origin, even those of different religions.  Our job isn’t to triumph over them, its to minister to them – to all the world.

No more division in Christ, no more de-valuing this group or that group or..

Our goal is everyone in Christ… and if that takes our dealing with some discomfort in oroder to do that… let us embrace the discomfort in the way Christ endured the cross…for us.

Lord have mercy on us all.. and reveal it to us, and through us to all who are broken and without.

Amen

Related articles

• Church Services. To serve God, or to serve people? (justifiedandsinner.com)