A Challenge
Claudia Graf
MA, LPC
7/7/2025
All or Nothing, Black or White – we live in a world that has become increasingly polarized into extremes. It breaks my heart to see the fear of and hate for others who look differently, hold different opinions, and vote differently. Many seem to view the world in terms of all-or-nothing thinking, often resulting in the exclusion and hurtful treatment of others. The ability to listen and show empathy has become rare, especially when disagreeing with another person. Jesus stated that the measure by which the world will recognize that we are His disciples and ambassadors on earth is by our love for each other (John 13:35).
We might not be able to change the world overnight, but we can step up and take responsibility for ourselves. We check our heart, values, opinions, and actions and test if they align with God’s word and Jesus’ command to love God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). Loving those with whom we agree is easy, but Jesus calls us to a higher standard. It is not about tolerating sin but about welcoming and loving the person as Jesus did, who surrounded himself with people who were looked down upon and rejected by society and the self-righteous Christian leaders of his time (Matthew 9:10-13).
According to Jesus, God’s kingdom it is not about fame, money or power but about a multicultural people who are spreading the Gospel and bringing glory to God by serving him in unity (Zechariah 4:6; Matthew 19:24; John 13:35; Revelation 7:9). We are called to share God’s love in our daily lives with the people we encounter, to be respectful to those we disagree with and to show them kindness, to pray for those who might dislike us, to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, to take care of those in need, treat each other with love and to represent Jesus well (Proverbs 31:8; Isaiah 58:7; Matthew 5:44). I challenge you to ask God to give you opportunities to show love in practical ways this week, to speak words that build up and listen to understand and to put yourself into the other person’s shoes for just a minute – even if you might disagree with them.