“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
-Luke 6:36

Nothing makes us more Christian than our love. Nothing makes us less Christian than our contempt.

When you see the worst in people, you’re going to draw the worst out of them, and when you see the best in people, you’re going to draw the best out of them. The problem is that very often we, as people, use religion and politics to become group-ish and see the worst in those that are not inside of our circle. Not one group I can think of gets group-ish in the right way. The only way to be group-ish is about compassion.

The Good Samaritan story teaches us that anyone who is compassionate to their neighbor, even though they may have the wrong doctrine, even though they maybe not have the truth, God can still use them. “What?” you say. Yes, God can still use them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, with each new person I meet, help me to get past the differences I see. Help me to be compassionate to those unlike myself. I know that if I do, I’ll be blessed and I will bless others with your love. Amen.

Reflection: When you have reached out to a stranger in the past, how have you been blessed?