Several years ago a former parishioner told me, “My mother always taught me that you don’t have to love everybody, but you do have to like everybody.” I think I understand what she was trying to say – do your best to keep a positive feeling toward people.

Jesus described a different way of loving – not with “what you feel,” but with “what you do.”

It’s appropriate that in this “month of love,” observing Valentine’s Day and expressing love to those we love, we also celebrate Martin Luther King Day, one man whose life was committed to loving those he didn’t like (and who didn’t like him). The love wasn’t in what he felt, but what he did.

This is what grabbed the attention of a watching world in the time of the early church. Neighbors who weren’t part of this new movement saw how the first Christians treated each other, and they were amazed. “Look how they love each other!” was the common expression of surprise – those Christians acted in love, not only to each other, but to neighbors in need.

Zion Church is no stranger to “love in action.” Yet we can grow in this area which Jesus commanded us to practice.

Three years ago, several Zion folks participated in a survey designed to help us determine “where we are” as a church, and the areas of our church life which need attention. The survey is part of an ongoing process called “Natural Church Development.” Those folks recently took the survey again, this time to see how far we’ve come and what our next steps need to be. We’ll let you know as the process unfolds, and practice together the art of “loving as Jesus loved.”