God always loves. To live like him, we love others—we care for them. This care for others is beautifully illustrated in the book of 3 John. The apostle John, one of Jesus’ closest disciples, wrote this letter to Gaius, a younger follower of Christ. In it, he encourages and commends Gaius for meeting the needs of fellow believers traveling through the area (3 John 5–8 NIV). These were sent out to spread the message of God’s love and salvation through Christ. Taking little with them, they depended on fellow Christians to provide lodging and food on their journey. This allowed them to maximize their energy and effort toward sharing this message, the gospel, with all who would receive it. Even though these “itinerant preachers” were strangers to Gaius, he took them in and saw that they were well cared for. By showing great hospitality, Gaius also contributed to God’s rescue mission on planet Earth.
How open are our hearts to caring for and meeting the needs of others, especially strangers? Are we in tune enough with God's heart that we are fulfilling his purpose for our lives? Sometimes our hands so tightly hold our to-do lists, that they’re not free to embrace a stranger. Sometimes our eyes are so focused on where we’re going and what we're doing, that we miss opportunities to love and help those who cross our path. Does your heart receive those that God brings you?
Do you look to share the one message that can truly make a difference for people? Jesus took time to enter into others’ lives, and help them on their way. In fact, he came to “seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:1–10; John 3:1–17). When we truly know God, he transforms our hearts to love like Christ:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
"What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ”
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25–37)
