Are we there yet?

Something I see all too frequently, around me and in my own life, is the sad fact that Christians cast out instead of welcoming in. We're too conservative to be seen with someone who has _____ or does _____. We can't change them or the way they live, so we might as well not even try to be around them. As we all know, being with like minded people is the best place to be...and a whole lot safer...right?

It's funny, though, when you look in the bible at who Jesus hung around. Granted, He had His disciples, but who did He spend most of His time with while He was here on this earth? The sick, adulterers, homeless, the "unfit" to be seen with, the heathen, diseased and outcast.

It made me think...if I am to be truly "Christ-like" is it really the best thing for me to hang around the safe people, the clean and "pure" Christians with motives not quite so pure and hearts a little cold to those in need. Is it really doing any good to claim Christ as my Savior and treat with disgust those that He spent most of His life loving? I am basically telling God Himself that who He chose to spend His whole life with, His whole life loving, were mere mortals...were too low for me to give of my time and love.

My time: The life I live, every minute a gift, given by God Himself for a purpose.
My love: The very thing that gives me what I need to go on; I haven't a drop of love in and of myself; it comes from God and Him alone to bless others.

It's almost sad to see homeless shelters and charity organizations at Thanksgiving and Christmas. People know it's "the perfect time" to give. They go buy tons of gifts, give toys, clothes, blankets, etc to give to those in need. Never are there needs for volunteers around these holidays... people are packed to go help. It's great, really it is. But what have we really done if we've come for one day, bought a bag of toys or blankets...but never see these people again? What has it shown them except that you gave 30 minutes to put a scoop of food on their plate or run to the store to put items on your credit card for them. Have you ever looked at these amazing causes at a time other than Thanksgiving/Christmas and seen how bare they are? People may come together around holidays...but there are needy people other days than these. The needy will be there after we've gone home from relatives, after we've stuffed our faces with food and our homes with gifts we didn't really need in the first place. The needy will always be there, even when we're not.

To come one day and volunteer, it's great, don't ever doubt you've done a good thing. But we all need to make an effort to think of those in need other than the obvious times; other than the times when everyone else in the world rushes in to get their "feel good" volunteer work done. Being a follower of Christ means following Him, wherever He leads. Even if that means going to volunteer, give and love at times that aren't exactly convenient for us.

If the church of God, His people not a building, could really get it's act together, we could accomplish so much for God. We could reach people with our hearts instead of our programs. We could interact with those who are hurting and in need of love.

The church isn't a building; it's not a safe haven to gather together and feel good. The church shouldn't be full of perfect people hiding behind masks of pain and hurt; afraid to show emotion. We're not robots. We should stop acting like them. If we feel uncomfortable opening up to a fellow believe in our church...something is really wrong. You see more splits and arguments than you do people coming to know the Lord; you see people coming to know the schedule of the service better than they know how to disciple; you see people who don't care about getting in late and leaving early...what do those on the outside see?

*Dysfunctional*
*Disunity*
*Disloyalty*

I had someone tell me one time they saw the church as a bunch of people who thought they were better than everyone else. The church was a place for people to bring in a lot of money and spend it as they wished on programs and new buildings claiming it would reach a larger crowd, but that it really only brought gain to the congregation; they saw more arguments and split marriages than they did in regular people.
They saw a large building full of hypocritical people claiming to have a better life than the "non-Christian", yet they were so fake it made them wonder why they were confused about Christianity becoming more about "religion" than "love."
This isn't to say all churches are like this...but it sure opened my eyes to what people really see in the places we call "a house of worship."

Are we becoming so full of ourselves than we are of Christ Himself? Does our life mirror HIM, or US? I'm ashamed to say, my life has been about me more times than I can count. People couldn't even see Jesus; just Jessica.

People don't want our bible translations, our theological explanations for why we're better than any other belief out there...they want to know how we can have hope; they want to know how to be washed clean.
People need a Savior. They need the One True God. They need a King who will protect; One that will change their life.
People need a Leader. They need someone who will guide them and forgive them.
People need someone who will love them even when they don't act quite so loveable. People need Someone who will care about what's in their heart, their pains and heartache, before they judge for what they're wearing.

Jesus is the only One. He is our Savior; the One who brings light to this dark and desolate world. He brings hope, joy and peace to those who thought such a thing were too far for them.

People need to know that Christ has risen and is alive! They need to know no matter what they've done, they're never too far for Jesus to reach them...never too dirty to enter His gates if they only ask to be cleansed.

Who is willing to to tell the world about HIM?