Strangers No Longer

~~~ Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles ~~~

~~~ Ephesians 2:19-22 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ Luke 6:12-16 ~~~

You are no longer strangers and sojourners...

Once we have been chosen we will never again be strangers.

A stranger is a person with whom one has no previous acquaintance.

A stranger is a new comer to a town or city.

One day on the bus a complete stranger poured out her entire life story.

It was as if she wanted to be validated or perhaps scolded.

She wanted reassurance that she was not a 'bad' person

 in spite of her poor judgments. 

We teach our children to beware of strangers...

never take candy from a stranger...never get in the car with a stranger.

Yet we find ourselves with strangers in many places we go.

Just because you live in the same city or neighborhood

 does not mean you are not a stranger.

Frank Sinatra sang a beautiful song...Strangers in the Night.

Today stranger is equivalent to danger.

Stranger has come to conjure up fear within our body.

Once we become part of the Body of Christ

 we are no longer labeled as a stranger.

Once we are part of the family of Christ 

there is no cause for fear to rise up within our body, mind, or heart.

Before you call someone a friend were they not just another stranger

whose path of life intersected with yours?

When Jesus called together his twelve apostles 

many were strangers to the others.

If Jesus had only chosen men 

from the same family or the same walk 

of life things might have turned out very differently.

Jesus put together a diverse group of strangers.

In time they not only came to know Jesus, but they 

also came to know one another.

It is curious that even animals can be afraid of strangers.

The black cat we rescued was very afraid of strangers.

She would hide immediately if anyone came into the house except for us.

Perhaps she had been abused; there was no way for us to find out.

For just a moment imagine what your life 

would be like if you had never met a stranger.

Jesus does not want us to be strangers to one another.

...you are fellow citizens with the holy ones

and members of the household of God... 

We do not live in a vacuum therefore it is inevitable 

that we will come into contact with strangers throughout our life.

We are the people of God...participants with the Communion of Saints.

We cannot afford to be strangers wandering aimlessly.

We have a purpose, we are members of the household of God.

Get to know the other members in his family.

Do not lock yourself up in your room.

The apostles were strangers until they got to know each other.

They were strangers until they began to have 

shared experiences with Jesus.

It might only take a smile or a kind word 

to change a stranger into a friend.

Jesus began his ministry by inviting strangers to follow him.

As part of this same family we are no longer strangers.

Are you a stranger to God?

He invites you to come around more often.

Do not let God become a stranger in your heart.

We are Blessed to belong with the other holy ones.

~~~ Peace ~~~