(Keys to Transforming Community – Message for Malaysia)
We need to Love God and Love People.
Lk.10:27 “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
In the story of the Good Samaritan, God has called us to love our neighbor. Who is your neighbor?
- People that you associate with regardless of race, religion and social standing
- People who need your help
Our life is not about ourselves, it is about others. If your whole focus of life is about yourself, you have broken the greatest commandment.
There are people in need and we have got to help.
Lk.10:30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
The man was wounded, robbed, stripped and abused. He was helpless and hopeless and this is the condition of our community
Lk.10:31,32 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
We cannot live a lifestyle of avoidance or be curious but uninvolved.
The 5 keys for community transformation
1) Don’t have racial prejudices
Lk.10:33 - But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
It was the Samaritan who came to help the Jew. We must break down racial barriers. We cannot have prejudices (pre judge people). In God’s kingdom, we are all one.
Choose to love. Get rid of racial prejudices. Every person was created by God. We did not have a choice of our race. If we have racial prejudices we are going against God. Don’t make mistakes by judging people and making sweeping generalizations. Don’t allow anyone to use race to create divisions.
2) See the needs of people
Lk.10:33 …And when he saw him, he had compassion.
Start seeing the needs of the people around you. Pray and ask God to show you. Talk to people, hear their cry, have a feel for them. People need help. The way you see others is the way others are going to see you.
3) Have Compassion for people
Lk.10:33 …And when he saw him, he had compassion.
Love is motivated by God and the need of others. The priest and Levite saw a bleeding nobody, the Samaritan saw a needy person. Have compassion. Let us love people back to wholeness.
4) Care for people, serve them, meet their needs
10:34,35 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed] he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
Caring involves a cost (time. money, energy, reputation, etc). Caring involves sacrifice.
Care for people. Don’t be selective in your caring. Let this be our prayer “God I ask for nothing except to serve you.”
5) Go and Do
Lk.10:36,37 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Caring involves action. Meet a need, do an act of kindness, touch someone with the love of Jesus.
People are important whether they are Malay, Chinese, Indian, or any other race. People are important whether they are rich or poor, young or old, educated or uneducated. You hold the key to community transformation. We change community one person at a time. Will you love people and touch lives?
Together with GOD We Can
