Authentic Faith: "Must love all"

This was the title to a sermon my brother gave not long ago. The premise being if God placed a personal ad in the newspaper for followers, what would it say? My brother speculates the last line would read: "Must love all."

We don't get to choose whom we love. We must love everyone. Saying that is easy enough; it's not that difficult to conjure up a feeling of universal love for the human race. But is that what it means? Is that enough?

I sat in my car today, listening to the rain mingled with a Michael W. Smith song, and imagined what it would be like to say "I love you" to a stranger in the store. An odd idea. Such a personal and often intimate three-word phrase we use guardedly. But somehow I don't think "oddness" would stop Jesus from saying it to a perfect stranger.

Now, I'm not going to run out and start professing my love to random people on the street. But isn't that what my heart should be able to say?

Many people in the steeple
But no one leads the lost
Quick to stand and speak
All of their beliefs
Quick to leave you if you fall

Tell me where's the love
that knows no boundaries
Tell me where's the love -- yeah yeah
Open arms
We need to be
Open arms

Never judging
Always loving
Needs to be what we become...

Tell me where's the love
It knows no boundaries
Tell me where's the love -- yeah yeah
Open arms
We need to be
Open arms...

{Michael W. Smith}