Love...all the Saints?

Colossians 1:3-4
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.

Do you love ALL the saints? think hard before you answer! Even the Apostles had trouble with this! I guess one thing that irritates me, is that I see Christians that can not or will not give thanks for others that may not do business the exact way they do it.

I struggle (and you do too) with people who are calling themselves Christian and doing God's work in a different manner than I do it. I know that some people have things they believe that are not up to snuff in my opinion. I wonder how can God use them, or bless them.

I get mad when I see these people get a bigger blessing than I get, after all I know that I am straight! I have the right book, the right form, the right fellowship! Why would God waste any time of them?

The Apostle had what we believe to be, the right stuff. He deals with a group of believers that had some differences. He teaches us how to get along, and how to be gracious, and thankful for the total blessings that God chooses to pour out.

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul tells us that he is grateful for the believers at Colossee. He will deal with minor differences later, but first is thankful for them. If we choose to be thankful and diligently look for the hand of God working in people who do things a bit different than we do, we will find things to give thanks to God for.

I told my mentor just before he was promoted to heaven, that he taught me two things that I was thankful for. 1. He taught me how to do ministry, 2. He taught me how NOT to do ministry! My mentor responded that at least I learned something! The same is true in dealing with someone that is a bit different.

Praying always for you.
When we see things they do, that are different than the way we do things, can we at least pray for each other. I can pray for others that I don't completely agree with. I can always pray that they get it right! (A-men!). I can and should be in prayer for you (others). I must confess I fail at this task! I also confess that it is easier for me to not pray for those I think are different. Shame on me, and shame on you if you are like me. I pray I will do a better job in this area in my own life.

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.
When I was saved, I instantly knew everything and did everything that pleased God! (What a big fat lie!). We as Christians need to be aware of the Spirit of God working in someones life. We should be a coach not a task master! If someone changes for me they will change back to old ways when I am gone. If they change because God told them to, they will change forever.

I get excited when I am around a new Christian, they excite me, when I hear them make statement that God blessed them by allowing them to go a few days without a cigarette, and maybe He will give them a longer period of abstinence. Do we get excited when we hear simple victories!

And of the love which ye have to all saints.
This a question that we need to ask our self daily. Do we appreciate and love ALL saints? or do we pick and choose? We can love Baptists, but not all Baptists! We can love some saints, but not ALL saints! Notice the wording; "of the love ye have to all saints." In the military we were taught to salute the rank and not necessarily the man. We can and must have a love toward all saints.

I am not advocating we should mingle or adopt an un-scriptural relationship. What I am advocating is scriptural tolerance and love towards saints that are in Jesus Christ!

Do we love all the saints?