Listen, Learn, And Love

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:5-11

I was listening to a lady speaking about the challenges of being a woman in a workplace.  It came to a very interesting part that struck a chord in me.  She said that as a Christian black woman, people of the LGBT community would not approach her.  I let that thought marinate for a bit, and it occurred to me why that was.  You see, I too am with my own bias, and as a Christian, we can have such a strong response toward sin that it often can push away others.  Some of those are the very people that need Jesus more than we realize.  So how can I reach them?  First, I need to acknowledge that I too am flawed.  Then before I jump on my pedestal, my built-in guard rail of humility must remind me that at best I am not better than those around me.  Finally, I must pray my actions focus on opening my heart and mind to whatever is on their mind.  No judgment.  Just listen, learn, and love.

As Christians, we always must remind ourselves of the example Christ set for us to be toward non-believers.  Today’s verses are a reminder of the mindset of Christ, which set Him up to be glorified above all others.  I think of the calling of Matthew by Jesus himself as an example.  Matthew had a banquet for Jesus where many of his fellow tax collector friends came to ‘hang out’ with the Messiah.  Luke 5:30 says, “But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?””  Why were they complaining?  How often are we judging others because they are not ‘like us Christians?’  Do we look down on them with disdain seeing those who do not follow Christ as unruly sinful creatures? “Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” (Luke 5:31) It is highly likely that those Jesus puts in our lives are just like Matthew; lowly and not like ourselves.  Thus, we represent hope, joy, love, and acceptance  to those distant from God and in many ways need someone.  You know.  Distant like the person I was when He found me (a young man who never thought he was worthy of God’s grace).  Or maybe that same person when He found you (insert your story here).  God opened His arms, and asked us to come as we are.  He neither judged our past nor said we did not make the grade.  He said as Jesus said to Matthew, “Follow me.” (see Luke 5:27)  He focuses on the future as if to say, “Together, we’ll figure this out.”

Jesus Christ's love overcomes all barriers.  None of us are exactly where God wants us, but we have come a long way.  The journey is filled with detours and unexpected changes in our own plan, but we must always trust His plan for us.  Some of those very detours are people who we ordinarily see little in common with.  If we judge others by their faith, orientation, political affiliation, gender, we have closed ourselves to becoming that which Jesus so clearly showed to be wrong.  This is not to say He changes His standard.  What it does say is He transforms once we have accepted Him as Lord.  Isn’t that what we would want for all those who do not believe in Him?  How can we better display God’s heart and less His judgment?  My prayer is that when speaking with non-believers, we display the mindset of Jesus, and listen, learn, and love.  Amen.