Next-Wave Ezine > church & culture

Something Every Non-Christian Should Know
By Kester Smith

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Before bed every night, we have an evening routine with my son, Harry. Certain things always happen during this routine. We read stories. We say prayers. We sing songs. One of the songs is always "Jesus Loves Me".

Because, as Harry grows older, it will be important for him to know points of theology and doctrine and certain things about God and what it means to follow Him and how to approach scripture and so on and so forth. But what he needs to know first and always is this...Jesus loves him.

Now, I know that seems a bit obvious, but it’s amazing how quickly we lose perspective on this. A person doesn’t have to get far past Harry’s age before we start beginning with rules instead of relationships. Suddenly, letting people know that we care about issues becomes more important than people knowing that we care about people. We’re standing outside abortion clinics with shouts and signs because we want people to know what we care about and what we stand for.

And it isn’t like that isn’t important. People do need to know what we care about. They do need to know what we stand for. But some scared and confused pregnant teen walking into an abortion clinic needs to know that we care about her, that we stand for her.

I believe in sin and death and the Fall and God and Jesus and the Trinity and I believe in right and wrong and even that very specific things are always right or always wrong and I need to make these things known to others, but not before I have made thing perfectly clear...Jesus loves you.

There are a lot of things that I know, as a Christian, that I think are important (even vital) for others to know. For years I was convinced that it was my job, as a Christian, to make sure that those I came into contact with knew and believed the things that I knew and believed or at least knew that I knew and believed them. And I still, as I’ve said, believe that it is important that others know and believe many of the things that I have come to know and believe.

That said, I am increasingly convinced that, if I am walking in the Way of Jesus and you only know one thing about me, it should be this...that I love you.

And you shouldn’t just know it in theory, you should know it because I am as passionate about my love for you as I am about whatever political or doctrinal issue we might be discussing or debating.

So, if you are a Christian walking around in this world and trying to walk in the Way of Christ and feeling like there is so much that those who you know need to know about Jesus and about what you believe about Him, remember that there is one thing that they need to know first...that you love them because Christ loves them and because He loves you.

Because it may be cliche, but it's true; they won't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Kester Smith currently serves, with his wife, Rachel, as lead pastor and co-church planter for the Immanuel Austin Community in Austin, TX. Raised in Chicago, Kester holds a degree from Abilene Christian University. His blog (www.pastorkes.blogspot.com) is filled with bits of sermons, top 10 lists, and random thoughts on life, the truth, and the Way. He has begun work on a collection called "Tentmaking Saved My Ministry or What Jesus People Could Learn From BookPeople". He also works part time for Texas' largest independent bookstore, BookPeople.

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