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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Reaching People in Love

One of the central messages of the gospel is that God came down and lived as fully man, in order to show us God's love and give us salvation. In order for us to reach people, it means that we have to GO to them! Jesus left his throne in heaven in order to come live among us. Moses went to his people in order to save them from Egyptian bondage. Isaiah said to God, "Here am I, send me." He was willing to go. Eventually, Jonah went to Ninevah in order to preach to them so they could repent and be saved. Paul went to the Gentiles all over the world in order to reach them with the Gospel. Mother Teresa went to Calcutta in order to love the poorest of the poor. The point is, that reaching people means leaving our place of comfort and going out to reach people where they are at. Jesus leaves the 99 in order to go after the one. That's home much he loves you and me.

Today, I just want to encourage you to "go" out and reach people in love. For my wife and I, that meant moving to Eldoret, Kenya so that we could reach the people here in love. For you that might mean leaving all that you know like Abraham and going to a place that you don't know. It might mean that you have to go out to homeless people that your not comfortable around in order to show them love. It could just mean that you need to go to your spouse, and lay down your pride, and submit to them in love. It may mean you have to deny yourself, go to your enemies, and show them love (even though they may not deserve it, or return it.) Reaching people requires us to make a sacrifice! But people, that is exactly what God did for us! So lets leave whatever place were at, and go out to reach people in love. It's risky, but love is worth it! So go to people, whether it's your spouse in a struggling marriage, your children that are going through a hard time, a friend that has betrayed you, or to a people group on the other side of the world that does not know the goodness and love of God!

God is sending you! So start reaching out in love to all the people that you come in contact with. It's who you are. Love fulfills us. You will transform other people, and be transformed yourself when you start reaching people in love. Love is what will transform the world. So GO!!! You can do it.

Like Paul says, "The love of God compels us..."

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