An Excerpt from the book - "Be Jesus In Your Neighborhood:
Developing a Prayer, Care, Share Lifestyle in 30 Days"
by Alvin VanderGriend (& others)
“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” — John 4:29
Faith Believers,
At the center of any good relationship is an accepting spirit.
All of us have our funny little tendencies and flaws. All of us have
rough edges. All of us have habits that can be irritating.
Your
neighbors may not always be the easiest people to have a relationship
with. They may be engaged in habits that offend you. They may have made
choices that you would never have made. They may not live with the same
values, nor follow the same rules.
They may not discipline their children
in a way you respect. Maybe they play their stereo at ear-breaking
volumes. Maybe they use cooking spices that permeate the apartment
complex. Or perhaps they are committed to a religious stance that is
totally opposed to Jesus Christ. Or perhaps they may even be completely
hostile and openly judgmental of your life and your commitment to
Christ.
Jesus
accepts each of us exactly where we are.
In His conversation with the
woman at Jacob’s well, Jesus talked with her
about her current relationship and her previous marriages. (See John
4:1-4.) Jesus didn’t condemn her on the spot. He treated her with respect
as a human being. But having done that, Jesus also worked with her to
bring her to a better place in her life; and into a life-changing
relationship with Him, The Father and The Holy Spirit.
God’s
goal, and our goal with Him, is to do whatever is possible to bring our
neighbor into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.
But, please, as you develop a relationship with your neighbor, do so
with an accepting spirit. Accept your neighbors as human beings who,
like yourself, have funny little tendencies and flaws, some rough edges,
and some irritating habits.
Beginning your relationship with words of
judgment or corrections will never enhance the work of the Holy Spirit in their
lives, nor your involvement with them.
Once
they come to know Jesus Christ, they will join you in submitting themselves
to the Holy Spirit’s transforming work in their lives. They will begin
to become more and more like Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit works in their hearts; making them pure and holy.
Leave that work to the Holy Spirit.
Your
responsibility is to provide an environment that nurtures a safe, accepting and non-judgmental
relationship. The greatest blessing you can bring into your neighbor’s
life is the blessing of acceptance and unconditional love — God’s Love.
Prayer Starters for Praying John 4:29
- Praise God - who is perfect, for His ability to accept us in love even “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).
- Thank God - for accepting you.
- Celebrate with God - His ability to love the unlovable, His ability to accept the unacceptable, and His ability to forgive the sinner.
- Ask God
- to help you develop a more accepting spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to
grow in you, the fruit of the Spirit, especially in your relationships
with neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and all those who may be different
from you.
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An Excerpt from the book - "Be Jesus In Your Neighborhood:
Developing a Prayer, Care, Share Lifestyle in 30 Days"
by Alvin VanderGriend (& others)
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