I’ve noticed something - If our ultimate goal is set on something in this life - not only is our vision limited to temporary things on earth, but we seem to be narrow in our vision of God’s overall plan in general.

Say our goal is to be a missionary to South America. Or, something else, a college pastor in Boston. Our vision and focus will be on college students or on mission work, and anyone that has a different, even God-given vision for something else, we will look down upon, dismiss, or at the worst, condemn and reject.

Even if it’s God’s plan. Let me explain. God’s plan is global - no, his plan is universal. He works in and through realities in order to bring about one ultimate goal - the summing up of all things in Christ (Eph. 1:10). Therefore, everything that we do either flows along the “river” of what God is doing, stands stagnant apart from it, or blatantly goes against the current. (Bad idea 1:1)

Many people have their own “pet” topics. You have your “evangelism” guy, your “discipleship” guy, your “missions” guy, your “intimacy” people, and your “End-times” guy. Now God does gift us and empassion us differently, and I think that’s great. But what happens is, if we are so consumed on protecting our own “pet” issue and making sure everyone else agrees with us and does what we think they should (whether its really biblical at all or not) we will despise, neglect or completely dismiss others, no matter if they are genuinely loving, seeking, and obeying Christ in how he is calling them to specifically.

We just simply don’t go along with that because we aren’t as good at talking about it or don’t know as much about that subject or we’ve never been taught and so it doesn’t match our own vision. So our wretched insecurity keeps us away or causes us to reject the topic and the people altogether and we completely limit our vision of God and His ultimate plan. Phooey on that!

This is what the Pharisees did. This is religion. This is death. And they were called “blind guides”. We must get a higher vision!

We have to realize that ALL things will be summed up in Christ. The nations will be reached, the church will be purified, Israel will be saved, the devil will be judged, Jesus will come back, reign on the earth, and we EACH have a very specific and important part to play in that! Just because our heart leans towards one of those issues (not necessarily a bad thing) it doesn’t give us the right to dismiss, reject, or judge others because they lean towards something else.

Now, I’m not excusing unbiblical ideas, practices, or doctrine. But I am saying that genuine love for all people (not judgmental, preconceived, untrue notions and attitudes) should be the basis for which truth is shared.

Not everyone is called to be a full-time pastor. But we are all called to “pastor” (shepherd) someone. Not everyone is called to be a full-time missionary. But we are all called to follow God and share the gospel through our lives and words. Not everyone is called to preach, but we are all called to testify. Not everyone is gifted to teach End-Times, but we are all called to “know the hour is at hand, be sober-minded, watchful, and pray”.

How silly would it be for a pastor to reject all the members of the congregation because they weren’t pastors also! It would be ridiculous! Now we are all called to shepherd and love people, as Christ has shepherded and loved us, but the best thing we can do is not make them like us, but point them to and teach them Christ so that God can, in His great creativity, make them how He wants them to be!

So, don’t limit your vision of God’s plan by dismissing someone or some issue because you “don’t understand it” or it seems to contradict your “pet issue”. God’s plan isn’t limited to our own understanding. Let the love of Christ “which surpasses all understanding” be a bridge to love and pray that person on their specific way and mission in God. Don’t discourage them by knocking their “heart-issue” because it seems to go against yours. God is the judge of all things, and He will bring about His plan in and through those who humbly, teachably, and sincerely believe Him to do so.

Thank God He’s not like us!