When I first moved to Lubbock TX to go to preaching school, I drove past a little restaurant every day on the way to school. I am especially particular of the restaurants I will try. My first criteria is the appearance of the building. Even though I am particularly fond of Thai food, I drove past a little Thai place with a thought of disgust saying, "I would never step foot in there". The outside of the building was so undesirable, I would keep on driving.
Several years later I was watching the health inspection reports for the city. There was only one restaurant in the entire city that received 100% every week I watched. It was the Thai place I had written off. My first thought was, someone is paying off the health inspector. However, I finally let go of my skepticism and tried it out. You know what? It was the best Thai food I have eaten to date. I loved it. The sad thing is I only lived in Lubbock 1 more year.
I am ashamed to say that it is not only with restaurants that we determine our involvement based on the outward appearance. This also becomes true in opening our life to people and sharing the Gospel with them. I know we would never say consciously that we deem people as undeserving of the gospel, but we do when we neglect to build relationships with them and share with them the gospel of Jesus.
Ephesians 2 tells how we were dead in our transgressions and sins but God showed mercy and grace toward us because of His great love for us! The truth is that you and I are no more deserving of God's Grace than any other person on this earth. We all have sinned! Had Christ found us undeserving, we would not have a hope of everlasting life.
In Luke 15, Jesus gives several parables to show how God reacts to those who are lost. We see in the parable of the lost sheep that God leaves the ninety nine to search for the one who is lost. Do we have this same attitude as Christians that we would seek out those who are lost to show them the way to God. All are undeserving including us, but God loved us all so much that he would give us the way to eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
Jeremy
