5:150 – Bottom Line: Love and Understanding

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Intro

In the past, I’ve said that I am naive and gullible. I understand that and know that’s part of who I am. Over my life, I’ve had many conversations about faith, love, and understanding. From LGBTQIA+ to guns to parenting to health to racial diversity and more, I’ve talked with people about all of these topics and more. What I’ve found boils down to this, the bottom line is when have to love and have an understanding of where the person is coming from. No, we don’t have to agree with them or even like their position, but we have to understand who the person is and love them. That’s what God tells us to do.

When I talk about these issues, there is a difference between having an opinion and stopping someone from living the way they want. There are also limitations to this as well in society. I can’t live the way I want if it harms, someone else. Someone who wants to kill people harms others, whereas someone who chooses to intermarry or have gender reassignment surgery doesn’t harm you. Yes, it may be different than what you believe or hard for you to understand, but it doesn’t harm you. A same sex marriage doesn’t lessen your marriage or harm your family, even if it’s against what you believe in.
God tells us to love all people. He tells us to share the word and not judge. Our God loves his children no matter what. He doesn’t like when we sin (and I’m not saying the above, except for murder, are sins). As Christians, he wants us to love first and share. He also says to leave for another messenger if others don’t agree with us. He doesn’t say to force, pass laws, harm, or pass laws on those who disagree with you. Again, if it doesn’t harm someone else. And yes, I know this is naive and not everything is black and white, but if we stick to the bottom line of loving first, we are on the right path.

As we close, remember our job as Christians is not to judge, but to love and share God’s word with kindness at all times.

Questions

• How do you show love for those who don’t agree with how you live?
• How do you show love for those with who you don’t agree with how they live?
• What actions do you take toward those who you disagree with?

Scripture

• Matthew 7:12 – So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
• Galatians 6:9-10 – “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for your example of how to live with others who don’t agree with us. You put tax collectors and sinners into service, you ate with gentiles and forgave everyone who asked for it. We pray that you are present in everyone’s lives. Help them to know that your forgiveness is free. Help us when we condemn others and try to judge them. We pray that we see love first and treat others as we would want to be treated. We also pray for our nation and our world. Guide us, direct us, and give us the words to show love for all of your children, no matter what. In your name, we pray, Amen.