Today's vitamin - brotherly affection

Our focus passage continues:

.......add to godliness brotherly kindness.... (v. 7)

Brotherly love? That's a simple one, right? Jesus said:

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:37)

As Christians, we are supposed to love our family, our friends, our co-workers, our school mates, the people driving in the other lanes of the interstate, the neighbors who live around us.... and many more! We are to love all of them! In fact, Jesus also told us to love our enemies:

 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."  (Luke 6:27-28)

We're going to zero in on our brotherly love for unbelievers today....what is our responsibility there? How do we behave with and toward unbelievers? Do we like them? Hate them? Tolerate them? Are we concerned about their salvation?
Do we act like unbelievers when there are no other Christians around? Or do we snub them? I believe some Christians think being nice to unbelievers is like throwing pearls before swine. Then, of course, there are some that stand and shout on a corner, a parking lot at the mall, or elsewhere, to witness to unbelievers. And then there are some that don't seem to care, one way or another!
Where do we fit in? Do we share our faith using honey or a hammer? Or do we share our faith at all?
I believe that there are specific instructions about how we, as Christians, are to conduct ourselves toward unbelievers -- instructions on showing brotherly affection and kindness, if you will.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6)

First, Paul tells us how to begin to show brotherly love: with wisdom. There are many things that we can do for outsiders, or unbelievers. We should be sympathetic in counseling and listening as we try to share the Gospel. Peter chimes in with the need also to be compassionate and humble:

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing.... (I Peter 3:8-9)

Being loving and patient are other ways to show brotherly love....as is truly listening to the person we are talking to. I don't know about you, but that's one of the hardest things for me. To simply listen to a person. Sometimes I catch myself listening with only one ear, and the other half of my brain is formulating the incredibly wise and uber-smart guidance that I think the person needs to hear. Oy. That's not good.
Often, the best thing is to just sit and listen, and wait to speak. Right? Right!
Verse 5 is translated in many Bible versions as "redeeming the time," or "buying up the opportunity." The sense of the phrase is don't just sit there and wait for opportunity to fall into your lap. Don't just talk to unbelievers when they initiate the conversation -- seek opportunities to tell them about your relationship with Jesus Christ. Don't be complacent; share the Gospel.

Conversations "full of grace......"
Paul is asking the Colossians to "watch their mouths," in the vernacular of the South. Be careful when we talk in public or in private; don't gossip about others. Be careful whether we are speaking to an equal or someone more powerful; don't slander. Be gracious when we speak to the poor or to the rich - no favoritism. And be careful no matter what the conversation is about....the weather, the economy, politicians, or our neighborhood.

Hmmmm, how can we be certain that our speech is gracious? Showing brotherly love? Well, grace is getting what you don't deserve, so no matter whether the person has been rude or polite, give them kindness, love, compassion, and patience. Be gentle to them; be positive; be helpful.
What about that last part?
How can we "know how to answer everyone"?
Part of having the right answers means being wise. We can ask the Lord for wisdom, and then apply ourselves to study His Word in preparation for conversations. Then we will be able to answer in times of joy or sorrow, and in times of counseling others.
Another part of having the right answers means knowing our doctrine. No, we don't need to be accomplished scholars and debate theology. But the basics of our faith should be easy for us to talk about.
The last part of having the right answers is to study difficult issues. Know about other religions, and study issues that we may need to address. We don't have to master them -- just be familiar with them!

Our conduct and our speech are vitally important when it comes to showing brotherly love to those outside the faith.
John put it in no uncertain terms:

 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (I John 4:20-21)

Have we added to our faith the supplement of brotherly love? A very important "vitamin"!