"Perhaps, instead of yelling at our brothers and sisters in Christ to change, instead of manipulating them into doing things the way we think they should be done, or wielding shame and intimidation as steely “spiritual” weapons, we should be praying Paul’s prayer: that we would ALL understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ, and that it would compel us to spiritual, material, and social generosity."- Jenny Rae Armstrong in her blog post "Oppressors, Activists, and Spiritual Stinginess: St. Paul’s Guide to Praying Better Prayers."
This was something I needed to read. As an upcoming Youth Minister activist, I get easily angered when someone neglects the poor. Or when someone makes statements such as "Republican's are the Christian way." or "Oh they said that because they're democrat." Using labels and titles to define people's actions.
It is so easy to act like I am the "more godly one" and get angry at those ignorant statements. However, Armstrong clearly shows us how we need to work at loving even those people. God commands us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It's the second greatest commandment.
It did not say "love your neighbors who agree with you." No, it said love everybody.
So if someone is a stubborn republican, love them,
If someone is a homosexual liberal love them.
If someone thinks that the government can take care of the poor, love them.
If someone is an atheist, love them.
If someone is an activist, love them,
If someone is a Christian, love them.
If someone is a human trafficker, love them.
If someone was human trafficked, love them.
The list goes on. No matter who they are, what label they are, what stereotype they are we are called to love them all. This I have been kindly reminded by in Armstrong's blog post, which can be found on redletterchristians.org.
It is through this love and prayer that change will be made. We cannot change people, but the power of God's love can.
Let's fill this world with an irresistible love that can only be explained through the teachings of Christ.
