Dear Followers of Jesus

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Dear Followers of Jesus;

  Do you remember your leader? You know, the one you claim to follow? Well, I would like to call that into question. 

  I don't think you truly follow Jesus anymore. If you did you would do as Jesus told multiple people in the Gospels: deny yourself and take up your cross (Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23, and Mark 8:34); you must sell all you own and give the money to the poor (Luke 18:22); you also have to hate all of your family (Luke 14:25-6). And that is to be a perfect follower. The best of the best. Not to mention other things that I don't have to hand.

  The biggest condemnation I can give is that you don't follow the two commandments Jesus gave us: " 'You should love the LORD your God with all of your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB) 

  Did you let that sink in? Well, let it.

  Let it sink in.

  Let it sink in that your love for your Creator is to be the thing that is your center and your goal. Not your own desires or pride or selfish gains. Not your mega-church, your work, your achievements, or even your own faith!

  Let it also sink in that your neighbor includes the people that you regularly ignore or avoid. That -according to your own leader's words and actions- you are to love your homeless, drug-addicted, alcoholic, abuser, homosexual, non-Christian, and "different" neighbors as much as you love yourself. 

  There is not other option if you want to follow your leader.

  If you fail to do this, then you aren't living as your should: by the rules of your own Lord and Savior.

  Do you have to like them or what they do? No. I wouldn't expect you to. The diversity in our creation is a beautiful mess. Do you have to like the circumstances that we live in? No. Take a page out of Daniel's life: live in the Way of Exile. If you don't know what I'm talking about, here is video about it: 


  Live life obeying and caring for others while pointing out injustice when necessary. 

  Let go of your attachment to the past and live the two big commandments. That may be difficult, but it is what is needed now more than ever. 

  Unless you practice those two big commands in Matthew's gospel, I'm going to assume that you are having a hard time keeping your title of "Follower of Jesus."

  Hopefully, you all can prove that you can live up to that title.

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