Be a Message

Too many times, we try and preach our beliefs, instead of just live them.  It doesn't matter what religion you are, it doesn't matter whether or not you have faith, it doesn't matter what you think I need to believe.  What does matter, is how are you living?  It is easy to preach at people, to tell them the things you think they should know.  But if you really look at the teaching of Jesus, he didn't preach much.  He lived by what He taught.  
One of my all time favorite parables is about the good samaritan.  It is found in Luke 10:25-37.

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, andwounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gavethem to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

He taught us to be kind to the Samaritan, that the samaritan was our neighbor even though the common belief among the jews of that time was that the Samaritan was inferior to them.  Someone who was hated and despised.  Yet, the parable is that a man of Samaria was kind and helped when no one else would, not a Levite or a Priest, both of whom were esteemed men.  
I know that it is easy to judge.  It is easy to see others as the Jews saw the people of Samaria.  It is easy to see people with differences as not being good enough.  There are many around us who look or act differently than others and it becomes way too easy to think that they must not be as good as you.  But the problem with that is that we are all sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us.  
I have learned in my life, that when the hurting was more than I could bear, God always, ALWAYS, sent someone to me who would be a message for me.  Someone who would be willing to bear my burden.  Someone who would listen.  He sent them to be His mouth and His hands.  He sent them to show His love.  
All the sermons I have ever heard have never meant as much to me as the times that those children of God have spent just being there for me in my pain.  Sometimes, most of the time, we have to do more than preach at people.  We need to really learn to love them.  Only when they cease to be Samaritans in our minds, will we find those things the Savior taught.  Only then, will we learn what love really means.  That it transcends all things.  That it is not about who someone is right this moment, but about who they can become that matters.  
The message has always been about His love.