Scripture
Galatians 2:9-10
“James, Cephas, and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.
Observation
Showing Christ’s love in practical ways is a Big Deal. Paul and Barnabas had a completely different focus in ministry than the apostles in Jerusalem, and there were many opportunities for them to have division–indeed, Paul and Peter did have conflicts on various occasions. But they agreed together that despite the difference in mission and focus, they must remain in unity on the subject of showing Christ’s love to the world in practical ways. Cultural differences meant that Paul’s ministry looked very different than the apostles’ ministry–and yet there were hurting people in great need, no matter the place and no matter the culture.
Love is the universal language of the Gospel.
Application
In ministry today, there are many things we can focus on. We can focus on evangelizing, on teaching, on kids, on men, on women, on students, or on kupuna. We can focus on this culture, or that culture. We can focus on this town, or that region. But the one thing that remains constant through it all, is that our world is full of hurting people who need to be shown the love of our savior in very practical ways–because truly, they won’t care about what we have to say…until they know that we care about them.
Today, I need to keep my eyes open to see the opportunities to show Christ’s love to those around me. Sometimes that will be with an encouraging text or a phone call–but sometimes it also means showing love with $20 for gas, and a plate lunch from L&L’s.
Prayer
God, help me to love people like you do. Not only with my words, but also with my actions. Help me to see the opportunities you’ve placed around me, for me to be your hands and feet to a world that needs to know you. Thank you for loving me enough to express your love with your actions.
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