31ST JANUARY
Galatians 3:26-28
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Even the person you dislike the most has as much access to the grace of God as you do!
Paul’s been talking about the distance between Jews and Greeks and how Jews had in the past had access to God that wasn’t available to others. But now that Christ has come there is no distinction.
Those Gentiles were difficult for the Jewish Christians to accept. It was hard to reach out to them. Even Peter, who had spent all those years with Jesus, God had to work on for awhile to prepare him to go into the house of Gentile Cornelius with the gospel (Acts 10).
Who have you been ruling out, that God might want to reach through you? Do you have a workmate or classmate that you don’t like at all? Is one of your neighbours especially difficult to get along with? Is there someone from another religion that you avoid talking with about God?
Even the person you dislike the most has as much access to the grace of God as you do!
MAKE IT PERSONAL
Name the person in your life you dislike the most. What are 5 reasons why you dislike them – be honest! If you can write them down. Now what are the 5 reasons why God wants you to reach out to them with the Gospel? Write them next to the reasons you dislike the person. Are you willing to put aside your pride in order to show that person the love of Jesus?