It’s the love of Christ that makes the difference

Jesus Christ taught us to love and serve the one within our reach. Sitting by a well in Samaria, Jesus spoke with a woman from the local village. He spent time with her. He listened. He answered questions. He showed respect. The teachings and miracles of Jesus attracted crowds. People in need—like the woman who reached out and touched His clothes to be healed—pressed about Him, seeking His individual attention. Some tried to bring little children to Him, wanting Him to put His hands on them and bless them. When some of His disciples tried to send the children away, Jesus stopped them and asked that the children be brought to Him. He took time out of His busy schedule to be with them. "He took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them".

Jesus spent time in the home of His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. On one such occasion He listened patiently to the complaints of an anxious and perhaps weary Martha, who felt she was carrying more than her fair share of the burden of hosting guests. Jesus responded with kindness, understanding, and love. Later, when Lazarus became sick, Mary and Martha sent for Jesus. When Mary heard that Jesus was near, she ran to meet Him, fell down at His feet, and said, "If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died". When Jesus saw her weeping, the scriptures tell us that "he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled"  and that He "wept". He showed great compassion in mourning with and comforting those around Him. Near the end of his mortal ministry Jesus said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you".

While Jesus sat at the well or visited with friends in their homes, the streets of Jerusalem were filled with the homeless, the hungry, the crippled, the blind, and those with leprosy, but there was nothing negligible about His services. There's nothing negligible about the simple acts of kindness and assistance that you and I offer to those around us on a daily basis. ....

I pray we will always remember where we came from and that we will follow Christ in reaching out to those around us. Christlike love transforms our simple, everyday living into something extraordinary. It's the love of Christ that makes the difference. 

J. Michael Hunter