From Trash to Treasure: Show some Love

As some of you may know, I was on a medical mission trip this weekend in Del Rio, Texas to help give medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and spiritual care to the people in that region. This was a very eye opening trip for me because lately there has been much news about the Affordable Care Act/ Obamacare and how we should/shouldn't have it. Let me just tell you, from first hand experience, there is a serious problem with access to medical care in this country!

Regardless of what our country decides to do on a legalized stand point, it is our human and Christian obligation to tend to the basic needs of those around us. Medical care is a very basic and necessary need for every human being. Americans very often take medical and dental care for granted and try to judge others on how "worthy" they are at having it: Every human being is worthy of care! It is necessary for life and survival. 26 of 35 (74%) of the miracles performed by Jesus Christ are health care related.* We are also called out and commanded to:

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)
"Heal the sick in that town and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come upon you!’" (Luke 10:9)

Honestly, I do not care to get into the politics of what is going on. Rather my thinking is geared towards the hearts of those whom think they have the ability to control who can receive care or access care based on how much money they have or where they come from. I was once one of those who condemned others to a certain type of care simply because they came from a different country or because they didn't have they money to afford it and I didn't want to foot the bill.

First off, no matter where you come from (America, Mexico, South America, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa...wherever) we are all the same! We are all human beings made in the image of God; "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, He created him; male and female He created them" Genesis 1:27. Thus, we are all viewed the same in God's eyes, and are all just as precious as the next. Even Jesus Christ himself displayed an acted of humility and humbleness when He washed the Apostle's feet. This task was usually performed by the lowest of servants, but Christ lowered Himself to serve in the most menial task just as we are to do for one another. He also states that, "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13: 13-15. This is not a request, but a demand from Jesus that if He has served us and taught us, then we are to do the same for others, and as we have learned previously... everyone is equal, thus you should teach and serve everyone.

This teaching is also found as part of the second greatest commandment. The first is, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:29-30. As mentioned in my previous blog, we can not truly love others before we love God because He is the ultimate example of love, forgiveness, and compassion. But, the second greatest commandment goes on with, " Love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:31. It is also important to understand how well you treat yourself; this was also discussed in my previous blog. If you do not love yourself, then how well will you love others? This goes back to commandment number one, because only through a relationship with God and loving Him can we fully understand ourselves and love who we are.

Next, we must understand who our "neighbors" are so we can love them. This word "neighbor" has been misconstrued and re-constructed in today's society to make it fit our own ideas and ideals for what we think it means. However, remember God made us all equal and in His image. In Leviticus 19:33-34, God states, "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God." Neighbors to God do not mean people next door to you whom you know, within the same church congregation, living in the same state, or citizens of the same country: Neighbors to God are simply two separate people. God wants us to treat all people the same regardless if they are unfamiliar to us, not believers of our same faith, and not citizens of our state or country. This statement may make a lot of us uncomfortable, it may be against what a lot, if not most, of us are currently practicing or thinking... but remember God loves us, and everyone else, so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for us. He also made us in His own image, which means, we are to love everyone as well. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34

So what is this... "love", and how do we "show it"? This is the last part of the understanding of "Love your neighbor as yourself." You must have knowledge of what love is and how to show it to them. Again, this goes back to the first greatest commandment of loving God. If we love God by surrendering our lives to Him and honoring Him in everything we do, then we will understand His love for us and ourselves. We then can take His love for us and share it with others, because through us God will work into their lives to show them His love and mercy. Jesus Christ did not minister to the rich and famous exclusively. He showed compassion and love for all people, including the poor and the broken. He was Father God's messenger and servant and healed people as the Living God and Son of Man; He was God in human form. Remember still, we are made in God's image... because Jesus died and defeated death, all we have to do is accept Him into our heart and we will have the Holy Spirit residing within us. Jesus Christ explains this to the disciples in John 14:15-17 "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father [God], and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But, you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you."

We as human beings and as Christians have a duty to love God, ourselves, and others. We do this by having a relationship with God, and reaching out to those around us in need so that the Holy Spirit may work though us to spread His Word and His love. We are to obey His commands instead of confining it to our own limitations based on what we think is right or what society believes. This means that we will encounter struggle and confrontation as following God's Word is not the popular thing to do. As Jesus taught in Mark 8:31 "the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed, and after three days rise again" Jesus stated that He would be rebuked for His teachings and rejected. He goes on by saying, " Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their souls? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in the adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38)

Main Message: Believe. Obey. Go. Love.

“Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”