Two things of interest appeared in my Google Reader today from Relevant magazine. One was a blog post from over there, that has appeared to have disappeared from the site. That makes me sad. The other was this article – Lessons from a Wiccan.

Here are the parts that stood out to me the most, but you’ll have to read the article to get the full context.

I was ashamed to be considered part of the same group that had hurt her. I wanted to make a distinction between myself and these people. But it wouldn’t have mattered. She knew that I was a Christian and that these things were being done to her and her friends in the name of Jesus.

In the New Testament, when Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to tell people about the coming kingdom, He said, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16, TNIV). He wanted them to be careful about what they said and did. Jesus knew his followers would be persecuted; people would be looking for a reason to accuse them and to tear down their message. Even though the disciples were sent out with the power to do incredibly good things, like heal the sick and cast out demons, they needed to be careful about how they behaved.

Christ’s followers today have the same mission as those first disciples. We are to go out and tell people of God’s love for them as we care for the sick and the poor. In so doing, we must be extremely careful that we are living a life consistent with Jesus’ teaching. This includes loving our neighbors, no matter who they might be. Ours is not a battle against flesh and blood, and the minute we begin to think in terms of “us vs. them,” we have lost the heart of Jesus.

The writer hit the nail on the head. We’ve lost the heart of Jesus in our active faith lives.