“When it comes to God, who is the in-group? When it comes to God, who is us, and who is them? Which people does God identify with? What kind of music does God like? What kind of language does God speak? See, God made us in his image, but we all tend to remake God in our image and think, “Well, what I like, God likes.” No, no, no. People matter to God. Which people? All people. How much? More than you can possibly imagine. This is the message Jesus is going to teach if it kills him, and it kills him.”…….. John Ortberg
All people matter to God. Church of Christ and Baptist and Methodist and Lutheran and Catholic and Presbyterian and Quakers and Shakers and Bakers. (just because it rhymed.) Christians and Jews and Muslims and Hindus and Atheist. Americans and Europeans and Germans and Africans and Russians and Chinese and Israelis and Palestinians. Heterosexual and homosexual and bisexual. Black and White and Red and Yellow People. Thin people and fat people, rich people and poor people. Tall people and short people. Pretty people and ugly people (if there are any!). Literate people and illiterate people. People that smell like “Dial soap” and people that smell. Republicans and Democrats and Independents and Conservatives and Liberals. Lonely people and those who are never alone.
Again, Mr. Ortberg (paraphrasing Jesus)…….. “It’s because God doesn’t divide the human race up into us and them. My Father wants everybody to be us. My Father loves everybody more than you can possibly imagine. My Father aches after people who are far away from him. I didn’t come for people who are already connected to God. I didn’t come for people who think they’re already connected to God, because I’m not going to be able to help them much. I’m here for people who have gotten disconnected from God.”
If you feel left you out, God cares about you. Always has. Always will.
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” You can trust Jesus.