All throughout my childhood I was taught to always stand up for what I believe in. God tells us to never hide our faith and to never reject Him. I find myself arguing with friends over small things that are the foundations for my faith. Things like loving people, or being kind to everyone. I had this argument again today at lunch and I said that I genuinely do love people. Not just my friends, everyone. My friend said "Well, I don't know people enough to love them." and I countered with "So you hold a standard to your love?" and to that he said yes. I can't do that. What makes me so good as to judge others on who deserves love and who doesn't? That's no ones job. Jesus hung out with people considered lowly and shady people and loved them just as He loves you and me. That's because Jesus didn't see a prostitute, he saw a lost woman. He didn't see a hideous man with an incurable disease, He saw a man who needed to be healed by a touch. That's exactly what I want to be like. It's hard not to judge people when you've done it you're whole life, but I believe that God will work wonders in those who truly want it.
Anyway, as we were debating this, I was finding it hard to say that my love comes from God. That through Him we are able to love and that I love because that's exactly what we are called to do. I have a deep caring for people. I didn't think that it was that big of deal, but apparently it is. I think this is what it means when God says "If you were of the world, the world would embrace you as one of it's own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.". I am not exactly sure, but I am fairly certain these friends don't hate me. I just don't think they will understand why I think and act the way I do without knowing about the strength of my faith. Which leads me to the point of this: I could not for the life of me tell them why I love people. I was scared. I know I shouldn't have been but I was. I am praying that the Lord will know my heart and know that if put in the same situation again, I will state my faith. This was an incredible lesson today.
