A Prayer for Chances to Be a Bridge Builder
By Amanda Idleman
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Love is who God is. When we think of being loving, what comes to mind?
I suppose none of us would think of being critical, prejudiced, unforgiving, combative, overly dogmatic, and insensitive as loving, yet it is often how we approach those who look and believe differently than ourselves. In an extremely divided culture, we see people drawing strict lines all over the place about who they are willing to engage with kindly. While it’s easy to ride the wave of the culture, it’s important to remember that Jesus lived a different way.
Jesus asked us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Jesus drew lines in the sand, when the self-righteous came to stone the adulterous. He showed those who were hungry to execute justice on their terms that we all have sinned and don’t have the right to throw stones at our neighbors (John 8:7).
Matthew 5:9 Jesus says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.” Those who make peace work to build bridges where there has been separation. Peacemaking takes radical faith in God’s sovereignty, trusting that he is our protector and that he is the ultimate judge. We don’t have to live at odds with those who feel “other” because God goes before us! We don’t have to argue our point because the Holy Spirit reveals truth in his perfect timing and way.
Being a peacemaker also means being someone willing to consider the perspective of others. We can’t dismiss the cries of brothers and sisters in Christ that name injustice and inequity just because it’s not our own experience. Peacemakers are willing to see past their own worldview to make a bridge that is safe for all who cross it. How can we make those who we come in contact with feel safe if the bridge we attempted to build feels unsafe for them? Open ears, a kind heart, and a humble Spirit make space for everyone around us to feel seen, loved, and safe.
Radical bridge building is what Jesus did. He ate with the tax collectors, healed the sinners, and spoke to the outcasts. He did not let any social, economic, racial, or religious difference stop him from engaging with someone who was open to his love. Living like Jesus means we live open to love beyond what feels reasonable. Recently, in my family's story, God called us to step out of what felt comfortable to build a bridge. Our soon-to-be-adopted daughter’s birth dad reentered her life. He came with a past that scared us; he looked different than us, spoke different languages than us, and he, in his own brokenness, hurt his daughter, the one we now share.
But God. God called us to build a bridge with this Dad, seeing not his past, but looking to the future that he is working hard to build on more solid ground. We see our differences as something to celebrate, and now he is a part of his and our daughter's lives. We get to be a part of a miracle because of this bridge of grace that we’ve built as a team. It is something so beautiful and I am so grateful that we get to share in this special relationship. When we build bridges, we have the chance to experience something new, see unity grow, peace abound, and healing arise, enriching our own lives in profound ways. Break down the walls of fear that want to keep you isolated and embrace radical grace that builds bridges.
Let’s pray:
God, we thank you that you are the original bridge builder. We were separated from you because of sin, and by your amazing grace, you sent your son to bridge the gap between us and you, our Holy and perfect God. The miracle of salvation is such a gift. Help us to follow your lead and show love even in the most tough relationships. Open our eyes to the bias we may hold that stops us from building bridges with our neighbors. Help us to have open ears to hear the struggles, needs, and desires of those around us who may have a different worldview. Let your Holy Spirit guide our words and steps when working towards peacemaking in our community. Let your will be done in us and through us. Amen.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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Originally published Wednesday, 07 August 2024.
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