“Happy Mother’s Day!” my daughter exclaimed as she smiled broadly and handed me a colorful gift bag.
I pulled a soft red knit sweater from the bag. It was covered in wrinkles, and the style was different from what I usually wore. I thanked my daughter, knowing she had lovingly shopped to find the gift for me.
Later, I ironed the sweater, smoothing out the wrinkles. I discovered it looked different than the rolled-up sweater I had taken from the gift bag. I tried it on and realized I liked the new style.
Sometimes, a similar thing happens when we look at certain people. Perhaps they belong to a different race or faith. Their quality of education and financial status may not be the same as ours. We may be tempted to “stuff them back into the bag” and decide they don’t meet our requirements.
Jesus set an example in selecting His followers. He didn’t choose the religious leaders and teachers of the law to be His disciples. Instead, He chose a wide assortment of people with different qualities and occupations. He associated with people whose reputations caused others to turn from them with scorn.
When Peter, a disciple of Jesus Christ, was told by God in a vision that he was to witness to Cornelius, a Gentile, and his family, Peter found the command difficult to accept. God used the vision to convince Peter it was God’s will that Peter witness to these people whom he considered unclean. As a result, Peter shared the plan of salvation with a large crowd of people gathered at the home of Cornelius, and they received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
We have a choice. If I had chosen to put the sweater away because the style was different than my usual preference, I would have missed the pleasure of wearing it. If we associate only with those who are like us, we may miss opportunities to share God’s message and His love.
Are you willing to allow God to use you to tell everyone, not just those like you, about His plan of salvation?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Norma C. Mezoe strives to be a Barnabas in her writing and in her living. Norma has been a published writer for thirty years and has written for magazines, devotionals, and S.S. literature. She is active in her small church as clerk, teacher, and bulletin maker. Norma may be contacted at normacm@tds.net.