Disapproval

disapproval - How can I care about my friends even when I don’t approve of the way they live?

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. . . . Jesus responded, “. . . The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Luke 19:5-7, 9-10

When the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Mark 2:16-17

JESUS was not one to enjoy the company of only good, God-fearing people. Even though he was the Son of God, he didn’t see himself as too holy to spend time with men and women who made immoral choices. Jesus focused on finding those who were farthest from him and ministering to their needs. Following Jesus’ example means looking past people’s behavior to their souls. It takes special effort to love those we may disapprove of, but they are the people who are most in need of a godly friend. Your faith shouldn’t separate you from the ungodly; rather, it ought to motivate you to connect with them in order to show them God’s love.

Prayer Prompts

Lord, I am having a hard time being a friend to . . .

Your Word reminds me to follow Jesus’ example by . . .