Last evening, my wife and I invited the high school boys from our church’s youth group to our house for some pizza and foosball. They even enjoyed our vintage Super Nintendo. We had a great time for an hour or so before, we went over to church.

As we were eating pizza, one of the boys mentioned that he didn’t like people he didn’t understand. He even gave some examples and I noted in each case that they were ethnic. I asked him the question, “If I don’t understand you, does that mean I don’t have to like you?”

How many times do I dismiss people, simply because I don’t understand them? I develop a dislike, because I can’t figure them out. I know that as I work my retail job, I have to understand what a customer wants, before I can help them out with a solution. The same applies to the church. So many times we are quick to dismiss a person because we don’t understand them. They may be from a different culture or ethnic background. They may come from a different financial situtation. They may come from a situation that is completely foreign to us. Jesus ministered to all who came to Him. My prayer is to be like Jesus; to have compassion when needed, even if I don’t understand.