Loving God, Loving People

An artice that appears in the NC Biblical Recorder that was just posted has the following quote:

Almost three-fourths of Americans who haven't darkened the door of a church in the last six months think it is "full of hypocrites," and even more of them consider Christianity to be more about organized religion than about loving God and people, according to a new survey.

Wow. This is very sad. However, I cannot deny it. We as Christ's church need to do much better. I think we can still integrate ourselves into society, as well as show love to the unchurched, while at the same time not compromising the principles that we stand for. I do believe that there is good in people. I believe that people can be loved and should be loved. I believe that the hardest thing about loving people is the fact that, they're still people.

Is it easier to love God, or to love people? For some like me, loving God is easy, for He has evidenced Himself in my life and calling, and gave His Son to die for me. Loving people is the challenge. For others, God may seem so unknown, unreachable, untouchable, that it is easier for them to love people, for even with their shortcomings, at the end of the day they can wrap their arms around them and hold onto something tangible. However, as believers, we are commanded to do both. After all, paraphrased, these are the greatest commandments!

I've been hypocritical. I know others of you reading this can say you have been too at times. We can do better. We must do better. It's my calling. It's our mission.