me mindful

I just checked on where people come from before they get to my blog and one of the places was a ultra-conservative hate blog. It was all factual evidence, but mixed in with strong opinions and catch-words. How ugly.

With that, dear readers, I'd like to exhort you to be very mindful (aware) of those things which you read. Yes, there are good and valid reasons to be angry, but anger is an easy emotion to raise. In my own experience, when I'm angered by something, it usually is combined with pride (a superiority for knowing better), or disgust. Rallying with like-minded people against these 'stupid ideas' is great comradrie, but not loving, or very humble.

Consider how Jesus spent his time on earth with the poor, and the sinners. He did not recoil from them because of their sin, but rather showed them that (if they were willing) they could have immeasurable grace and mercy poured out on them. Healing for the sick, purity for the defiled. He got more irrate about those who believed they were righteous by their own deeds than he did about prostitutes and sinners.

Have you touched a leper recently? Have you shown compassion to someone who is 'unlovable'. Has someone else's lifestyle inspired such disgust in you, that you've turned your back on them?

I think speaking truth into people's lives is often impossible for followers of Jesus because they are unwilling to make themselves available to show love, or acceptance of people for who they are (despight their sin).

It is difficult for the dejected to feel accepted, and it is easy to feel once again rejected.

There are a few greater joy in the world than to belong to a loving family. And there are few worse sorrows than to be without. My family spans the globe, because it's His family. Do you want to be part of that? Do you want the stranger on the street to be part of that?

This cause to me is far more critical and important than others which revolve around politics, conservative vs. liberals, republicans vs. democrats, etc... and I won't waste my energy in these other things. The kingdom of God is with people, not cars, nor commercials, nor bands, nor politics, nor games. You ever wonder what the early church had to talk about without all of those things?