Loving with the heart of Jesus

I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ. Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.  (verses 9-11)

Read Philippians 1: 1-11

Members of Christian congregations come in all shapes and sizes. They have all kinds of personalities, all kinds of character traits and habits – some admirable, some a little less so. They have different opinions, tastes, preferences, and responses to situations. So do pastors.

I’m sure the congregation Paul wrote to in Philippi was no different from any congregation anywhere in terms of variety among its members. So how can Paul write so confidently about thanking God for all of them? The answer is simple. He can do so because he loves them with the heart of Jesus – the Jesus who touched dead people and lepers, who welcomed people regardless of their background, who didn’t condemn even the worst of sinners. This is the Jesus who loves the unlovable.

The church is made up of all kinds of people, some outgoing and prominent, some shy and retiring. All are gifted people who are needed. Paul thanks God for the people he has. He prays for them, that they may grow even more in faith.

Someone once said, ‘If you want a better pastor, pray for the one you have’. The same is true of congregations.

Father, help me not to criticise people but to pray for them and love them with the heart of Jesus. Amen.

by Robert Turnbull, in ‘Living Water for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2001)

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