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As I sat in church a few weeks age, a child was loudly crying from the back pew. To be honest, I really didn’t notice at first. However, after praise and worship and before the minister went up to speak, the child grew more insistent. Immediately folks were passing judgmental glances toward the parents. Even my pre-teen son whispered that the parents should control the child or walk out. This bothered me so I whispered back to him, “Jesus said, ‘Suffer not the little children that come unto me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.’” Then, I added in a louder tone that it was a BEAUTIFUL reminder that the church is growing, because new parents are teaching their children the importance of being in there even when it’s not easy.
So many times, we forget that the gift of parenthood isn’t an easy calling! It’s easy to pass judgment on one another instead of offering compassion and hope. Regardless of the situation, if a couple chooses to carry a child, they deserve your love and support! In times when alternatives to parenthood are plentiful, those who chose life should be loved, celebrated, and supported! Perhaps, if we Christians did a better job of loving the broken, more would choose life. I often wonder if this was what Jesus referred to when He said that in the last days love would grow cold.
Love growing cold can be seen in many ways. It’s being insensitive to the needs of others. It’s being unwelcoming to those who need shown Christ’s perfect love. It’s being unkind in the moment a gentle word could make all the difference in the world. On many occasions, the people who seek help from Toledo Gospel Rescue Mission feel they aren’t welcome anywhere else. TGRM is the place for those who aren’t welcome elsewhere. The perfect place for imperfect people, this is what we strive to be. Do you?
It’s simple really, to revive a heart that has grown cold. The blueprint is found in Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in. I needed clothes, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you looked after me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” To not grow cold, do these things and support ministries that do these things as well! It’s hard to not love when you are actively serving those who need and deserve your kindness! You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to be present and care.
In Christ,
Rev. Kelly Llanas
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