Missing the Target...

So I have been reading "Blue like Jazz" by Donald Miller. I have wanted to read this book for a while. I heard him speak at a confrence recently and he paralled the gospel with Romeo and Juliet...the human brain...and art. I love when people see that the gospel is not only written in the Bible! So I decided to buy the book. In short, it will mess you up, make you mad and totally transform you perspective. Just when I am so mad I am about to put the book down, I will read a revolutionary truth taught by this guy.
One thing he cntinually points back to is Jesus heart for people. (I can't explain. Just read the book.) Jesus loved people. He hung out with them. He laughed. He cried. He had genuine relationships with people. Not just pretty people but the dirty, unpopular, religious, sick, needy, and law breaking people. What fasinates me is that he did not just "hang out" with them but He deeply loved them!
I am not like Jesus. I desire to be. I want to love people, not just the pretty ones who can do something for me. You know, I think so many times "the world" has become the enemy of my heart instead of the target. I don't want to become like them, look like them, talk like them, listen to music like them, or be with them. "They" don't do things the right way. "They" cuse, drink, lie, etc... But why are we surprised? We would do the same if we didn't know Jesus. If we are honest we still do the same at times and we have no excuse.
"The world" was Jesus' target. He was after them. Of coarse the ruler of "the world" is the enemy but not the people! The people are the point otherwise I would, all Christians, would be dead and in heaven with the Lord!
Mark and I offically took our house of the market today. Turns out the whole reason we were moving is happening right here in our neighborhood. We wanted to move closer to CATR to be involved in what God is doing. We wanted to build community and relationships with neighbors. However, why did we expect God to give us a new mission field when we have done a pretty slack job with the first one he gave us? Truth be told I think we realized we were failing to reach out to our neighbors and we wanted a fresh start or "clean slate". We were talking to a couple of Christian neighbors the other day and found out God is starting to move here. It is pretty exciting. We were too busy looking for houses, making plans and hanging out with our good clean Christian friends (no offense we love you) to notice the work God is doing right out side our front door.
We want to know God's will often....but do we want to know His heart? I think if we will quiet down and listen we can hear it... it is beating for the world, the people right next to us!