Wednesday; December 15

What is the most important aspect in being faithful to God? Is it having all the answers? Is it always doing all the right things? Is it teaching the gospel with consistency? The other day I got to thinking about the evidence of our relationship with God and something came to mind that is too often forgotten. When Jesus taught His earliest disciples about the thing that would set them apart, He focused on love. In addition to saying they had to love God, He also taught them that they needed to love their fellow man. When telling the story that seems to be corresponding to judgement, He indicated that an important consideration would be the way they treated people – especially those people who fell outside the traditional mainstream. Jesus shares the affirmation, “Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34) with those who demonstrated kindness to their fellow man. (A short time later, Jesus drives home the point by saying that condemnation awaits those who don’t do good deeds.)
I am not staying that doing good is the only thing that will save us, but it is apparent that we will not be spiritually rewarded if we don’t do it. Let’s make it a point to be in a right relationship with God, but let’s remember that that position is often attained by those who do right by the people around us.

Think About It!

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