By Lisa Wilmore
My Friends,
First, how do you show people, especially sinners and the unchurched that you love them? How do you make them feel when they enter your presence? Perhaps, you attempt to give them grooming techniques or different styles that would fit the mold designed from traditional standards. Maybe there is someone, who you would encourage them to be like or imitate because they have high moral standards, values, and notable integrity. In essence, you may ask them to change some things about themselves that would fit the mold in which is one that you may believe pleases God. Well, “Our part is to love people; God’s part is to change hearts.” Yes, it is imperative that believers show sinners and the unchurched love while God does His part through His Holy Word.
Secondly, we must stay in our lane and show people love as Christ has instructed us to do so. God’s lane is to change the heart of people. Many times, we are approached by people seeking and searching for a better way. As they search, we are responsible to tell them the truth about Jesus, and what has done for us. Therefore, we must not try, instantaneously, to get them to walk a straight and narrow path as if they are mature enough to do so. Instead, we must show them the love of Christ and let Him bring about the change in their hearts.
Furthermore, God’s Word, the holy Scriptures, have been proven to be truthful, trustworthy, and relevant in bringing the change that is needed in the lives of many believers. We, as believers, must believe that no matter what the situation looks like, our unwavering belief in His Word will bring the necessary change in people, ultimately, for God’s glory.
Additionally, our job-our lane is to love people the way Christ loved us. His love looks beyond faults and sees our needs. The song writer noted, “Amazing grace, shall always be my song of praise. For it was grace, that bought my liberty. I’ll never know, just why Christ came to love me so. He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs.” So, looking beyond the faults of people simply means that we see them the way Christ sees them and that is through the lens of love-not to change, condemn or judge them, but to love them by pointing them to Jesus, our Savior. Once we have done our part and shown love, God will do His part, change hearts.
Lastly, Scriptures remind us, “To love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).
