With the exception of a few people who
only want to watch the world burn, most everyone on Earth wants to make the
world a better place. Fortunately for Christians, the Bible outlines a 2 Step
Program for bettering the world. Don’t let the miniscule number of steps fool
you, though. It isn’t easy. The two steps go against the very fabric of our
basest human nature.
Step 1: Love God with all your heart,
soul, mind & strength. (Mark 12:30). When you love God with all your heart,
soul, mind & strength, you will worship Him in the manner He desires.
(Exodus 20:2-11) When you love God with all your heart, soul, mind & strength
and worship Him in the manner He desires, you will become loving, joyful,
peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle & composed. (Galatians
5:22-23)
Then you are ready for Step 2.
Step 2: Love your neighbor as yourself.
(Mark 12:31) When you love God with all your heart, mind, soul & strength,
you will love your neighbor as yourself you will treat others the way you would
like to be treated. (Luke 6:31). When you love your neighbor as yourself and
treat others the way you would like to be treated you will: love your enemies,
bless those who curse, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who use
and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) When we do all of the above we will be
forgiving, no matter if the other party deserves it or not. (Ephesians 4:32)
When you love God with all your heart,
mind, soul & strength and your neighbor as yourself, you will visit the
sick and the prisoner. (Matthew 25:26) You will welcome the stranger, whether
they be a visitor to your church and/or home, a tourist, an immigrant or a
refugee. (Matthew 25:35, Deut. 10:18-19, Hebrews 13:2) You will treat those
visitors, tourists, immigrants, refugees, etc. with dignity and love. (Lev. 19:33-34, Deut. 10:18-19) You will help those who are oppressed, like refugees, victims of domestic violence
and other crimes. (Isaiah 1:17, Zechariah 7:9)
When you love God with all your heart,
mind, soul & strength and your neighbor as yourself, you will give clothes
to those who need them (Matthew 25:36, Deut. 10:18-19, Luke 3:11), you will feed
the hungry and give drink to the thirsty. (Matthew 25:35, Isaiah 58:10) You
will do everything in your power to help the poor, (Proverbs 14:31 & 19:17,
1 John 3:17-19, James 2:14-20), the destitute, the orphans and widows. (James
1:27, Deut. 10:18-19)
If
every person in the world who professed to be a Christian followed these 2
steps, it wouldn’t take long for the world to become a much better place.
