![\"Inclusive](\"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/join-us.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
We like to think of our churches as inclusive,\u00a0warm, loving, friendly places to be but not everyone feels that way.\u00a0 Not everyone feels like they belong in some churches.<\/p>\n
Do we really accept and include people who are different from us as we would anyone else?<\/p>\n
If a person who is single<\/a> is in a group of married people, will they feel included?<\/p>\n If a person with a disability or special need<\/a> of some sort is in a class<\/a>, will they feel included?<\/p>\n If a person who is homeless<\/a> walks into your worship service, will they feel included?<\/p>\n If a person with a different skin color or race<\/a> visits, will they feel included?<\/p>\n It’s fairly easy to be warm, friendly, and accepting of those who are like us, but what about those who aren’t of the same race, marital, physical, mental, or economic status as us?<\/p>\n In Matthew 5:47 Jesus said, “And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”\u00a0 In the broad sense, we could say that brothers could be people united by some kind of common bond … those who are the “same” as us.\u00a0 In the very next verse, Jesus goes on to say “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”\u00a0 <\/span>Just prior to this, in verse 45, Jesus defined the perfect ways of the Father.<\/p>\n … that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n He was talking about extending grace to those with moral differences. If we can’t extend ourselves to people with marital, physical, mental, economic, or racial\u00a0differences, how will we be that way with “sinners”?\u00a0 Yet, if we are to emulate the Father, we must be gracious to ALL people.<\/p>\n Matthew 5:48 tells us how.\u00a0 We are to be perfect as the Father is perfect.\u00a0 The word “perfect” does not mean sinless, although our Father in heaven is indeed sinless.\u00a0 The original Greek word signifies something that is complete or mature, of full age. So, basically\u00a0<\/span>Jesus is saying, “Grow up!”\u00a0 The more we live in the fullness of who HE is, the more we will love people no matter how different they are from us.\u00a0 Sure, there might be some awkwardness at first because you don’t understand where they are coming from, but as you fulfill Jesus’ greatest commandments to love Him and to love people, you will extend yourself anyway.\u00a0 You might not always say or do the right things, but at least you will try rather than ignore them.\u00a0 You will take time to get to know and understand them.\u00a0 You will truly WANT TO BE inclusive.<\/p>\n If you struggle extending yourself to any of the people listed above, scroll back up and click on the links for resources that could help you better understand these differences.\u00a0 It’s a starting point.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We like to think of our churches as warm, loving, friendly places to be but not everyone feels that way. Not everyone feels like they belong in some churches. Do we really accept and include people who . . . Continue reading How Inclusive Are We?<\/span>An Inclusive Church Follows Jesus’ Instruction<\/h2>\n
Struggle to accept and include others in your circle?<\/span><\/h2>\n