Cornelius said, “It was about this time three days ago that I was praying in my house at three o'clock in the afternoon. Suddenly a man dressed in shining clothes stood in front of me and said: ‘Cornelius! God has heard your prayer and has taken notice of your works of charity. Send someone to Joppa for a man whose full name is Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by the sea.’ And so I sent for you at once, and you have been good enough to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the Lord has instructed you to say.”

Peter began to speak: “I now realise that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis. Those who worship him and do what is right are acceptable to him, no matter what race they belong to.”

(Acts 10.30-35 GNB)

A gentile getting a visit from an angel? Because God took notice of his prayer? That was unthinkable for Peter and his fellow Jews. But God did.

Our current world is filled with many types of people who Christians disagree with or dislike. Whatever the reasons are, Christians assume so and so about these people.

But God sees what Christians cannot see, the same way God knew Cornelius' heart and took notice of him. So those people that some Christians despise? God knows their hearts too.

What if God takes notice of some of them and instructs Christians to minister to them and to love them? Some Christians would rather get struck by lightning.

As for me, when God tells me to minister to them with his love, I want to obey.