“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.” Matthew 10:40
What does it mean to live in a way that makes you receivable? Dr. Barry Corey, President of Biola University, says it means living a life of kindness. He shares how his father taught him true, Biblical kindness and love through his actions towards strangers.
“He would hug the Islamic gas-station attendant and pray for the Armenian cobbler over the counter. At one point he held the Jewish furniture merchant’s face in his hand and he said Rueben, I love you.”
For Barry, it was awkward to watch his Dad do some of these things, he didn’t quite understand what prompted him to act the way he did. When his Father was on his deathbed he said something profound that helped Barry understand why he had done all of those seemingly awkward things in the past. His father said,
“I have to make myself receivable to anyone that God places in my path because if they don’t receive me, how will they receive the grace of God and the love of Christ.”
Dr. Corey realized in that in all those moments when he thought his father was being weird, he was following God’s instruction to make himself receivable.
“That’s the calling that Christ has on our life. That’s what’s hard for me because to make myself receivable, I also want to be received.”
Unfortunately, even our actions of kindness are not received with love in return. Regardless, God calls us to love even our enemies.
“I watched my Father, even in those times that he was rejected, he still had this profound ability to love people and to open up the grace of God into their lives.”
Key Scripture: Micah 6:8
Featured Songs: Thank you by Bethel Music; Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath; With Every Act of Love by Jason Gray
