What are we communicating?

OK, one more post in this impromptu series and then back to Acts 10, hopefully.

I keep thinking about how important it is to just connect with people. What a privilege it is to be invited into their life for a few moments and engage in conversation. Is our goal to convert people or to build meaningful connections with people? It is enough for us to just share the love of God through listening and caring and then maybe share our own story? 

If that connection with others is not a priority, we end up distancing ourselves and causing more division. Are we ok with the culture around us thinking the church is irrelevant and exclusionary? We don't have to compromise the gospel to be relevant. The gospel is loving others as we have been loved. I have seen communities of believers grow and thrive when they start putting others first and make those genuine and authentic connections.

We know this is how the kingdom works, yet many continue to divide and separate themselves from others with their comments and statements from pulpits. Jesus went out of his way to have conversation with the woman at the well or the lame man by the pool or dispised tax collectors. He did not stand in the temple and criticize and wait for these people to come to him. Thank God Jesus reached out to us and loves us.


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