For the love of…

CRAIG EHLO spoke about the significance of being an NBA star. "Our behaviour is very important, because it is seen by thousands of people every day".

In other words, it is often necessary to stop doing certain things (including some things which are valid in themselves) out of love for others, and always keeping the objective of being a good example.

When we give up something for the sake of someone else, we always end up gaining.

When we apply this principle in relationships within the church (the body of Christ), we learn to look for the good of others before our own needs.

There is no more difficult or complicated relationship in any other naturally-occurring or organised group in all humanity. It is certain that Jesus' followers are united by spiritual bonds that are everlasting, changeless, and invincible, but also there is no doubt that we are also attacked by the powers of evil in an extraordinary way.

The devil pays well for every battle within the Church, for every misunderstanding, for every annoyance, for every lack of appreciation.

Every triumph of evil within relationships between Christian brothers and sisters, is a triumph for the devil himself over the Truth.

On the other hand, only God can accept people from all races, cultures, social classes, persuasions, conditions, personal situations etc. There is no closed door for anyone in the world, who wants to come near to God.

However, we have not all understood this openness of God.

Too often we discriminate against others, and in the majority of cases not for who they are, or what they have done, but simply because they are not in agreement with our own way of seeing things.

Unfortunately our own ideas become more important than the Bible, and on this basis we discriminate against, reject or simply forget other brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have not learned to understand all the members of the body of Christ. We have not learnt how to put ourselves in the place of others, and the consequence is that we judge, criticise, and destroy all those who don't conform to our own pattern.

Because of the great difficulty that many have in living their Christian lives, sportspeople, singers, musicians, artists, businessmen or politicians, men and women in public life, they need our help, and sometimes they only find lack of understanding and rejection on our part.