Going Where Others Won’t
Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth."
You want to know why religious people got so mad at Jesus? Because He loved the wrong people. Over and over, you see Him hanging out with the people everyone else avoided—the unclean, the outsiders, the morally sketchy. In Mark 2, He calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to follow Him. Then He goes to Levi’s house and eats with sinners. The Pharisees are scandalized, but Jesus couldn’t care less. He came for the sick, not the self-righteous.
And here’s where it gets uncomfortable for us: Jesus is still calling us to do the same. If we’re going to follow Him, we have to be willing to go where others won’t. That might mean having awkward conversations, building relationships with people who make us uncomfortable, or stepping into messy situations.
The gospel isn’t safe—it’s wild, gritty, and beautiful. It meets people in their brokenness, not from a safe distance.
Reflection Questions:
This week, move toward someone you’d typically avoid—whether because of their lifestyle, politics, or beliefs. Show them the radical love of Jesus through a conversation, act of service, or simply by being present.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, stretch me. Lead me out of my comfort zone. Give me the courage to love the people I’ve avoided or dismissed. Help me to reflect Your compassion to those on the margins. Amen.
You want to know why religious people got so mad at Jesus? Because He loved the wrong people. Over and over, you see Him hanging out with the people everyone else avoided—the unclean, the outsiders, the morally sketchy. In Mark 2, He calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to follow Him. Then He goes to Levi’s house and eats with sinners. The Pharisees are scandalized, but Jesus couldn’t care less. He came for the sick, not the self-righteous.
And here’s where it gets uncomfortable for us: Jesus is still calling us to do the same. If we’re going to follow Him, we have to be willing to go where others won’t. That might mean having awkward conversations, building relationships with people who make us uncomfortable, or stepping into messy situations.
The gospel isn’t safe—it’s wild, gritty, and beautiful. It meets people in their brokenness, not from a safe distance.
Reflection Questions:
- Who in your life have you avoided or overlooked?
- Where is God calling you to step into uncomfortable spaces with love?
This week, move toward someone you’d typically avoid—whether because of their lifestyle, politics, or beliefs. Show them the radical love of Jesus through a conversation, act of service, or simply by being present.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, stretch me. Lead me out of my comfort zone. Give me the courage to love the people I’ve avoided or dismissed. Help me to reflect Your compassion to those on the margins. Amen.
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