Who do we love the most? I find myself asking this question almost everyday as I drive, walk, and live in Baltimore City. Do I love the white guy missing teeth and looking very dirty shaking a cup of change at me from the front stoop of a condemned church? Do I love the black guy who looks at me with what appears to be anger as he walks past my car. Do I love the poor who sit under the windows of buildings throughout the city with nothing but a bag of belongings? Do I love the wealthy families who live in huge mansions that I jog past in the morning? Essentially I have to ask if I love every person despite their beliefs, their history, there economic situation, their looks, their smell, and their effect on my ability to reach this city? If I'm to answer this question honestly I have to say sometimes. Sometimes I love all of these people but not all the time. Sometimes I serve but sometimes I self serve. Sometimes I hurt for people and other times I turn my back. I can allready tell this vision to reach Baltimore is way bigger than I am.
Just yesterday I was talking to someone in the coffee shop who had grown up Mormon. This young couple had been married in a Mormon Temple and gone on missionary journeys. Finally they found that they felt little value in the church and found little value in being part of the church, so they left. I was encouraged to see a spark of interest as I spoke of a church where every person is valued. We spoke of living your beliefs instead of living a double life of church on one side and your personal life on the other. It was an encouraging conversation and ended with this couple desiring to have Carrie and I over for dinner sometime.
No I won't water down the Gospel and say that all religions are good. But I must love people of every background and every belief. Please pray that we will continue to grow and the Lord will continue to give us opportunity to reach out to a community in need.
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