"Do good to all..." I think that these four simple words give Believers a mandate that is easily understood and much more difficult to live. As far as I can tell the statement stands unqualified. That is to say that the word "everyone" must include everyone and does not exclude anyone. What this means is that we can not afford to selectively exclude people that we either don't like or don't know.
This gives us more than permission to be nice to other people; it gives us a mandate to lavish other people with love, acts of kindness, words of encouragement, and...even cookies. Imagine how effective and authentic is the sharing of our faith, when it lands in the rich soil of another person's heart that you have blessed with your goodness.
If you want an evangelistic tool that helps you bring in the harvest--this is it. I am sure that someone will think that this is being disingenuous. Well, they would be correct if our goodness was only reserved for people that we were trying to influence for Christ. But, please note the following: "We are to do good to all!" This indeed makes us more effective when we share our faith--but, it is a lifestyle of kindness that is extended to everyone.
Prayer: "Dear Heavenly Father, Blessed be Your name. Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in earth, in my life, in my home, in my church, as it is in heaven. Lord, help me to see other people through Your eyes of love. And help me to receive people with love and acts of kindness rather than with my shallow self-righteousness attitude. May I treat others with the love that You received me with. Thank you for the opportunity to share Your goodness with people who are living in this difficult and sometimes, cold world." Amen
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