those people

I have a friend who lives a long way away and I don't get to see him very often.  The last time he was in town we were talking and I used the phrase, "those people."

He called me on it.  Quite directly.

When we say "those people," we are creating a class, a separate group.  We are excluding or measuring or judging those people.  Not a good thing.

The other day someone asked me about a particular group of those people.  They asked what I thought about those people and what they should think about those people.  I was smart enough to remember a conversation I had with Pat Stark in which he reminded me of something that a preacher should know. 

The core of the Christian faith is to love.  Period.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  If we have everything, but have not love, we have nothing.

What should we think about those people?  We should love them.  The amazing love of God smashes through our discomfort and prejudices and insists that everyone is to be loved.  Remember, the only people that Jesus cast away were the Pharisees.  The Pharisees however, judged everyone and cast many people away. 

Unfortunately these days, too many Christians act like the Pharisees and too few act like Jesus.

Just love them and let God figure out the rest of it.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.