by Elizabeth Haarberg

Sharing God’s love in a broken world.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

There’s a lot of books and articles giving insight on why we’ve been placed on earth, what our purpose is, and what we should do with the short time we live on this planet.

Some say we’re here to make the earth a better place, while others pronounce that we’re destroying the landscape. Some declare we’re here to take care of the animals, while others argue we’re the reason they’re struggling to thrive. Depending on who we talk to and where they live in the world, the answers are numerous on what we should spend our time doing while on this planet.

But, what does God say?

Matthew 5:13-16 says, “You are the salt for the earth.” and “You are a light for the world.” Also, “…your light must shine in people’s sights, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.”

Could it be our main job here is to let His presence shine through us? To attract people to God by letting Him live in and through us?

What if instead of worrying about whether we know the right verse or phrase to convert the person in front of us we love them instead. Yikes! I can feel the tension in my own body as I write this. It’s easier to teach and preach then it is to be vulnerable and risk rejection and ridicule.

Love is not safe. Love is put out there to be embraced and held which means it will also be trampled and crucified.

Jesus is Love come down. Are we willing to love, really love as Jesus loved, with no holding back? This means loving difficult family members and co-workers who don’t share our morals or values. It means loving everyone.

I struggle in this area. The fear of being rejected keeps me from loving people that have hurt me in the past. Here’s the bad news; as soon as I get to the point of where I love that difficult person, God puts another problem person in my path.

“In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 English Standard Version

God has our back. This is the week I will let God overcome my little world (again), my difficult people and let Him love them through me. I would love to hear about your week of deciding to love someone that you couldn’t in the past.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado