THURSDAY November 5, 2020
Glorify the God of Mercy
Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7
In the teaching of the Word of God, Paul set a good standard. Christians should receive everyone in Christ, no matter how different these individuals are. Do you remember the hippie days? Many churches were not receiving the hippies into their congregations. People did not like the way they dressed: the sandals, flared, ripped jeans, bare, dirty feet, big beards and mustaches. They looked so different!
When hippies walked into churches in Orange Country or churches in the San Gabriel Valley, the first thing people did to them was to try to change their appearance. They wanted to make them look exactly like them. Those in the church would not accept the hippies. They were so concerned with their outward appearance, to the point that some people were speaking out to condemn them. Yet they forgot about the inward appearance––a person’s changed heart. It is not how a person looks on the outside that counts; it is what has happened on the inside. God help us never to forget that.
Even though people are tattooed with long hair or they have come from off the street, you cannot judge the outer appearance of someone. You do not know what God has done within the heart of a person. Often it is not until you talk to them, and actually get to know them, that you witness their spirituality. They really do know God, and they desire a deeper knowledge of Him––so beautiful. How many times do we miss judge people? We need to be really careful of that.
Our Lord has many weak children in his family, many dull pupils in his school, many raw soldiers in his army, many lame sheep in his flock. Yet he bears with them all, and casts none away. Happy is that Christian who has learned to do likewise with his brethren.
~J. C. Ryle~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
