What is your view of those outside your faith? Do you draw a strong diving line, with you on the inside? Do you make me that dividing line? This is the trend of human history for all faiths, to be accepting of their own and rejecting of others by whatever criteria they deem important. If you use me as the point of division what do you make of my own ministry in which I told a story commending the Good Samaritan, witnessed to the woman at the well, healed all who came to me, and proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God to all regardless of their affiliation? My ministry was to all humanity and yours should be too. 

Have you ever heard of the concept of expanded consciousness? Do you think this is the province of drugs and hippies and new age gurus? It was a Biblical concept long before then. I challenged my audiences to have ears to hear and eyes to see. I marveled at those who could discern the weather from the sky but could not see the Kingdom of God right in front of them. Later the apostle spoke of having the mind of Christ. Are not my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts? Do you see the mind of Christ as an improvement over your own? If you seek true expanded consciousness you will find me, for who seeks the truth hears my voice. 

If you are not poor then you probably are aware that there are some places where you don’t see poor people. If you are poor then you know where these places are, and have an even stronger awareness that they are not available to you. Many places have cost barriers to entry, but the doors are not closed to people with money. My church should not be one of these places. If you examine the Christian faith you will see that its elements are of the utmost simplicity in this world, as if it were designed by a God who loves everyone and wants to eliminate all barriers to entry, especially to the poor who he chose to be rich in faith. 

Even if you follow my teaching to be generous to those in need, you have a limited amount of money and are surrounded by a seemingly unlimited amount of need. So you have to make some choices. Do you draw a strong distinction between those who are deserving and those who are not? If you do then what you intended as an act of charity becomes an act of judgment. What alternative approach is available? My word declares that those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. I may want you to give to those who seem the least deserving, but if you follow my lead you will have enough to meet the needs I show you.