I don't know if you have picked up on it; but we live among the wounded. Oh, so many really deeply hurt. Not only do we live among them, but often we are them.
When we watch Jesus among people in his day, who were oft found to be just like us, we learn how to treat one another. Jesus seemed to have only one bark and that was toward the religiously smug. All others he seemed to honor and adore; especially the dirty, the debilitated, and the down-trodden.
Jesus would compliment those who felt ugly and commune with others who deemed themselves rejected. As Master, Jesus shows us to this day how to make someone else's day. Be attentive and loving....and by all means be merciful.
It may be human nature to judge others while we simultaneously spare ourselves of equal criticism. But such irritation doesn't go far in the kingdom...Romans 2:1-5. It is (to be our) divine nature to be merciful to others as we wish to receive such from God.
Jesus heals the wounded.
A difficulty arises when unaware we wounded perpetually pass along our woundedness. When we are hurt it seems that others will catch it because we are injured so deeply. This, though, must and can change. We, by His grace, are able to arise above personal punctures and the lashes. We are enabled by His Spirit to step it up in life; not be escaping our tortures, but by using them to serve others.
We can actually use our wounds as information bases to understand better the spirits of our neighbors who are hurting so badly. I Peter 2:24 gives us an amazing truth....that we wounded are healed by Jesus' wounds.
The healing nature of Jesus is he used his stripes and lashes to bring healing to our lost souls. That text speaks of our purpose. If you want to follow in his steps, then set aside your awards and your certificates of accomplishment. Bring to the meeting your wounded days and nights and transfer them into the power of God.
These very things are your keys to effective community outreach.
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