Devotional: Where Is The Love?

I was thinking of a story the other day that just broke my heart :( It was almost a year ago...I was on YouTube watching a Christian skit that was about judging other people and the effects it can have. This one younger girl had left some crude comments about how God hates gay people and how they are going to hell. I was so bummed out that someone truly believed that. In an effort to share a little love to those who may be judged like that, I left a post on Facebook about how God really feels about his children despite their sins. Well, a friend of mine had started asking me questions about homosexual people; asking me if it was some kind of disease, or if they were really born that way. I honestly didn't know how to answer that question without opening up a can of worms. She then told me about how there was a man that worked with her that was gay. She said that her coworkers and herself didn't like that fact, so they did what they could to run him off and make sure he quit. I heard this and I wanted to cry. I know that homosexuality isn't the only case where people are unfairly judged. There are people out there that are considered "untouchable" by others and it shows a true lack of compassion in the world. In Matthew 25:40 it says, "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' " I didn't even know about this particular bible verse until I was in my first year of high school. I was in a Christian bible study that was held during lunch time for those of us who wanted a little bit of God in our lives during the day. The teacher had several boards put up in front of the room. He asked us to draw pictures of someone that we really didn't like. As soon as we finished drawing them, he pinned them to the boards and told us that we could throw darts at those pictures to release a bit of our anger. As soon as the darts were gone, he took down our pictures, and right behind it was a picture of Jesus. I was like a boot to the head- a major realization that everyone is God's children, and when we hurt one of God's children we do the same to him and Jesus. Luke 6:31-34 says, "Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those that do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be repaid in full." God wants us to show love to others that are considered unlovable or untouchable to the rest of the world. So this week, consider reaching out in love to someone who may be wrongfully judged by others. It may make a big difference in their life!