Thursday; July 16


         Have you noticed how easy it is to like the people who like us?  (I can hear a collective, “No duh” at the previous statement.)  While it is obvious, it is also true.  We don’t have any problem hanging around our friends and those who are like-minded.  The challenge is that there may be some people who don’t like us and a whole lot of people who don’t know us.  Life would be simple if we always got to be around allies, but much of it happens when we are thrown together with the rest of the world. 
          The reason I bring this up is that the make-up of a socially and spiritually mature person is that they can deal with the rest of the people the rest of the time.  They have the ability to tolerate those who have issues with them and the personality to make those they don’t know feel comfortable with them.  Often, when people think about Christians, they envision people who don’t have “people skills”, but in reality, the people who have a deep relationship with God are those who have the ability to love and be at peace with others.  When Jesus described to those who could become His disciples He sought out those who love everyone by noting, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46).
          Let’s put forth the effort to develop good relationships between all types of people – even those who have issues with us.  We don’t have to be friends with everyone, but we had better be able to treat them all with the respect they deserve.
Think About It!

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