Loving Like a Christian

From Romans chapter 5:
 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.


We are loved by God - He is our Creator and He wants to be with us, to the extent that He sent His son to pay the price for the sin that separated us from Him.   Out of His great love, He brings us into a relationship with Him through Jesus, and then directs us to love others with that same love.


2 Corinthians chapter 5 reminds us to reach out to others as God has shown His love to us...
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 


(from Baptist Press) Patrick Greene, an atheist cab driver, had said he found the placement of a nativity scene in Athens, Texas, unconstitutional and intended to use the legal system to force a judge to order its removal -- that is, until he began losing his vision because of a detaching retina.   He had to have surgery, but didn't have insurance and was about to lose his job - due to these complications, he dropped the lawsuit.   However, Patrick Greene was not forgotten...

Jessica Crye, a member of Sand Springs Baptist Church in Athens, Texas, found out, and she called her pastor, Erick Graham, to see if their church could help him.   "Sure we can help him," Graham told her.
Crye began to organize an effort to send support to the Greenes, and Graham explained to the church that they had an opportunity to show Greene the love of Christ.

Greene did not accept the offer of the church to pay for his eye surgery, but eventually agreed to let the church help him with bills and rent.  But Greene said he and his wife would never thought the church would actually follow through and send money.   The money came, and hasn't stopped coming, apparently.    And,  Greene  has changed his mind about accepting help in funding his eye surgery, saying the Christians from Athens have worn down his resistance to outside help. He even set up a website to receive donations, publicly thanking Graham, Crye, and the Sands Springs church family.

Greene said in his entire life, he never has had a Christian treat him the way the Christians in Athens treated him. (Athens is the county seat.)   The so-called Christians that Greene had encountered had refused to pay their fare in his cab because they did not want their money going to the "devil."  They also had also refused to lease him apartments because of his disbelief in God. But they had never loved him, he said.

"No Christian at all that we've ever met in our lives, had ever been nice to us...One of the things Jesus said to was love your neighbor as yourself. These people are acting like real Christians."

Here is a tangible way that the love of Christ is being expressed.   The Christians in Athens decided that even though they might disagree with Patrick Greene, they would continue to show Him the love of Christ.  And, I believe that's our call - to allow the love of Christ to flow through us, to be sensitive to the needs of people, and be obedient to the Holy Spirit as he indicates to us how we can be involved.