The church is God's divine design, functioning as the body of Christ with Jesus as the head. Like a human body, the church has many diverse parts that depend on each other, with each member playing a unique role according to their God-given gifts. Humility fuels this body, eliminating both superiority and inferiority complexes. God expects church members to practice the 'one another' commands found throughout the New Testament - loving, forgiving, honoring, and serving each other. As Christians, we're called not just to attend church but to be the church, living out our faith in ways that impact the world around us.
Hebrews 13:1-3 challenges us to extend our love beyond our church community to include strangers. This love should be characterized by empathy—putting ourselves in others' shoes just as Jesus did when He fully entered our human experience. To love strangers effectively, we need to adjust our theology in three areas: seeing every person as created in God's image, recognizing that no service is beneath us, and acknowledging that all our possessions are gifts from God. Practical application involves identifying which strangers God is calling us to love, being willing to let God disrupt our plans, and taking immediate small steps toward loving others.
