And the greatest commandment is...

After a week of being in New York, I am completely in awe of how international it is. This is, after all, still my country. I knew I would be interacting with some different cultures (that’s pretty much my job description) but WOW. I had no idea how diverse it would get! This place is the melting pot of all melting pots.  I have spent way too much money already trying all sorts of ethnic foods and there are no signs of me stopping in the near future. No more Sonic for me, I’ll take some bubble tea to go, please.

Interacting with people different from myself and especially eating their food are things I LOVE. This is right up my alley.

However, when you’re outside the Bible belt, it’s much easier to start questioning your faith. It is hard to not feel challenged when you’re suddenly the minority because of your beliefs. There are also some hard feelings directed toward Christians. Some have been scorned by the church or feel attacked by us. There is this common misconception that as Christians, we’re all judgmental, unforgiving, and self-righteous.

 Let me tell you friends- this is true about some people that call themselves Christian. But, by definition, that is absolutely NOT who we are because that is absolutely not the way Jesus called us to live. Above everything and anything else, we are to LOVE- the greatest commandment, according to JC Himself. We are to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and we are to love others as ourselves. And not the kind of ‘love’ that I previously mentioned when talking about eating food… It’s a self-sacrificing love that demands a question. It’s crying with someone, laughing with someone, and genuinely caring about someone far past what anyone else is willing to go. It’s not to earn our way to heaven, it’s not to win favor, it’s not to impress anyone. It’s saying, ‘God loves you so unfathomably more than I will ever be able to, but I am going to do the best possible job to show you what that looks like in human terms’.

It’s the kind of love that Jesus modeled for us. Wherever you are, whoever you are encountering, make sure that you are demonstrating that love in everything you say and do. It matters.