It is easy for us to include those who look like us. It is easy for us to help those who everyone around us values.
Maybe it is harder for us to include those who are not included by friends, family, or popular Christian culture because it can feel lonely.
Maybe it is accolades and attention. We need far fewer accolades because we help less when positive feedback is not going to be part of the package.
Maybe we say, “I am praying for all involved” too much, forgetting that prayer is an ongoing conversation with God to keep ourselves and our relationship with God straight. Through those conversations, the direction is provided. Instead, we wrongly rely on our prayer relationship to magically create change when maybe a prayer, and then Holy action is what He feels the situation merits.
Maybe we are too busy for the action He longs for us to take because of worldly focuses that readily aid us in turning a blind eye, or keep us scared, which brings the circle back to self, friends, community, and a need to be perceived and accepted by personal achievements and personal leadership goals, even if those achievements are outside of God’s desired work for us.
One thing that is not a maybe: We will answer for whom we included and why.
Taking a chance to reflect while entering into my 43rd year of life, many past personal failures to include the correct people have been made clear. Thankfully, this past year provided opportunities to learn, and the new plan is to include people on the margins at any cost.
It will be called political, another way we have learned to turn a blind eye to scary things outside our bubble, but you have my word it will be about God.
Offering an open invitation to join if anyone else feels they could use refining.
Credit: Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/wewelcomerefugees/ Visit their website: https://www.wewelcomerefugees.com/