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Woburn

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35 Olympia Avenue
Woburn, MA 01801

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Sunday 8:30 AM

Sunday 10:00 AM

Sunday 11:30 AM

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North Shore

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North Beverly Elementary School | 48 Putnam St.
Beverly, MA 01915

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Sunday 10:00 AM

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Build a Bridge

by Michael Davis on April 05, 2014

I believe John 3:16 to be true.  I believe that God loves the world – namely, God loves everyone in the world.  That includes me – and that includes you – that even includes the person that you have the most difficult time loving.  Regardless of who you are, where you’ve been or what you’ve done, I believe God loves you. 

I believe God’s love for the world is not based on what the world might do, rather, I believe the love of God is based upon the character of God.  That is to say, God is love.  Unlike you and I, God’s love does not increase or decrease – that would not be possible.  For God to stop loving would mean that God stopped being God.

I believe there are many in the world who do not believe God loves them.  I believe there are many who believe the concept of a loving God in the midst of so much evil and pain in the world nullifies the existence of a loving God.  I believe there are many (if not most) that believe God is indifferent towards them – neither loving or hating… He just doesn’t give them too much thought. 

I believe there are many who have been hurt by men and women who claim to know this loving God but yet have acted unloving towards them.  Consequently, those have been hurt, and sadly there are many, equate unloving people to an unloving God.

If you believe John 3:16 – that God loves ALL people, then how might you begin to help those around you, who might not share that same conviction, come to see and understand that reality?

Build a bridge.

Consider a body of water – you're on one side and your friend (family, neighbor, co-worker, etc.) is on the other side.  How might you get to where they are?

Build a bridge.

Often, the most loving thing we can do for those around us is to simply Build a Bridge.

How does one Build a Bridge?  How might we meet our friend (family, neighbor, co-worker, etc.) where they are so that they too might encounter and experience the amazing love of an amazing God? 

For me, building bridges is as simple as learning to ask questions.  Namely, asking questions that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no.  Asking questions that allow people the opportunity to share more about themselves.  Asking questions that would encourage people to share more about their story – where they’ve been, what they’ve seen, etc. 

The key to asking thoughtful questions is not only learning how to ask the right questions, but actually sticking around long enough to hear what they have to say.  As you listen, you’ll begin to learn more about what your friend values – what they care about – what matters most to them.

The point of asking questions is not to get them to a point where they’ll finally listen to what you have to say.  The heart behind asking thoughtful questions coupled with a listening ear is to let them know that you love them.  In time, those that know you care will begin to inquire about you – namely why is it that you care so unconditionally for them.  In many ways, the answer to that question is simple.  We care because we’ve been cared for.

Asking questions and listening to people's answers takes time.  Thus, building bridges will take time.  But as I consider the great lengths God went to in order to Build a Bridge between us and Him because of His great love for the world, the best way that people might begin to experience afresh God’s great love for them will be in our ability to Build a Bridge.