What if “receiving Jesus” isn’t some esoteric spiritual event or saying some magic prayer words?
What if it is receiving the homeless guy into your house for dinner?
What if it is helping the sick get care?
What if it means writing a prisoner and listening to them?
What if it means giving a shoulder to someone who needs to cry?
What if it means caring about the stranger in my country who needs my help?
What if it means welcoming the refugee?
What if it means standing against injustice and facing the consequences?
What if it means standing with the “sinners” against the religious?
What if it means standing between the adulteress and the religious mob that wants to stone her?
What if it means receiving the outcasts from your culture and walking them down the aisle at their weddings when their family refuses to do it?
What if it means the giving of hospitality by calling someone the name they’ve chosen or the pronouns they prefer and letting them use the restroom in peace?
What if Jesus isn’t some nebulous unseen Thing out there that you know from a book, but is the person you’re sitting next to on the train? Or the person sleeping in front of a store? Or the addict who hates his addiction, but feels trapped?
I think I’d like the sort of world where we all were taught to receive Jesus like that.
House of the Dread 