“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.”

John 13:35

Frequently we hear Christians identified as “hateful.” This term is used when Christians do not support some view or opinion that others may hold. In our culture, there is an increase of diversity of beliefs and practices. When opposing opinions meet, there is often resistance and reaction on both sides that is unfortunate. So, how should a Christian respond to a culture that does not agree with them?

Years ago, I visited the country of Myanmar. This country is where Adoniram Judson lived as a missionary for his entire adult life. Within the country, he was one of a very few Caucasians and Christians. Within the center of Buddhism, he lived his life for Christ. He was rarely without some threat or attack on his life, but he made an impact with consistent living.

I wanted to experience what it would be like to be the sole missionary in a foreign culture. So, one day, in Yangon, I went down to the river to ride on a ferry. I was the only foreigner wanting to board.

Because I was a foreigner, I had to pay twice as much as others. Also, I was made to wait until everyone else boarded before I was allowed to enter the boat. The only seat was in the back of the ferry.

When I took my seat, I happened to sit next to a small Burmese boy probably about three years old. His mother watched me intently, with an evil eye. Neither of us spoke a common language. But, the little boy and I began to play with each other.

He lifted his foot and showed me a tiny shoe. With that I lifted my foot and showed him a huge boot. Then he held out an open palm of his hand to me. I touched his open palm with mine and we both smiled. Then I took my baseball cap off and put it on his head. It was so large it covered his eyes and nose. With that he and his Mom began to laugh. When the boat landed we exited together with the boy holding my little finger until we cleared the crowd. As we parted we waved, smiling at one another.

Our beliefs were different. Our language was different. Our political views did not match. Our customs were strange to one another. We thought we had little in common and felt nervous in the presence of one another. But, we did find one thing in common. We both were people that appreciated when someone could look beyond the differences and see a person worth attention, care, and compassion.

As a Christian, I should focus on the need of others to be valued and appreciated. I can show compassion and care without needing to compromise my faith or approving of all they stand for. I need to remember that my task is to love others as I have been loved by the Lord. That is the Lord’s expectation of me. And at the end of the day, the approval I cherish will be that of the Lord, not the world. However, if I practice my Christian lifestyle properly, even those who don’t understand me will smile because they see I can care about anyone and find our common denominator is that we need to be loved more than we need to be judged.

Dr. John A. Temple is pastor of Poplar Springs Drive Baptist Church, located at 4032 Poplar Springs Drive in Meridian. Visit the church website online at www. .