Every Person Matters To God

Every Person Matters to God

Life is so much easier if we can just put labels on people. Pigeonholing permits us to wash our hands and leave. “Oh I know him—he’s an alcoholic.” “She’s a liberal Democrat.” “He’s divorced.” Categorizing others creates distance and gives us a convenient exit strategy for avoiding involvement.

But Jesus took an entirely different approach. He was all about including people. Jesus touched lepers and loved foreigners. His Facebook page included the likes of Matthew the IRS agent and some floozy he met at Simon’s house. You see, Jesus set aside the privileges of deity. He took on the status of a slave. He became a human.

Jesus sends this message: No playground displays of superiority. Don’t call any person common. Don’t call any person unfit. Every person matters to God!

Devotion by Max Lucado | The Almighty Jehovah | https://thealmightyJehovah.com

He has Been There

Most families keep their family secrets a secret. Some stories remain unmentioned at the family reunion and unrecorded in the family Bible. That is, unless you’re Jesus. He displayed the bad apples of his family tree in the first chapter of the New Testament. Rahab was a Jericho harlot. David was one day writing psalms, another day seducing his captain’s wife. But did Jesus erase their names from the list? Not at all!

If your family tree has bruised fruit, Jesus wants you to know, “I’ve been there.” The phrase “I’ve been there” is in the chorus of Christ’s theme song. To the lonely, he whispers “I’ve been there. To the discouraged, Christ nods his head and sighs, “I’ve been there.” When you turn to him for help, he runs to you to help. He’s been there!

Untying Knots

Most of us had a hard time learning to tie our shoes. Tightening shoes by wrapping strings together? Nothing easy about that. Who came up with the idea of shoes anyway?

My friend Roy used to sit on a park bench watching kids gather and play at the bus stop. One day a little fellow struggled to board the bus, frantically trying to disentangle a knotted shoestring. He grew more anxious by the moment. All of a sudden it was too late. The bus door closed. With tear-filled eyes he looked at Roy on the bench and asked, “Do you untie knots?”

We never outgrow the urge to look up and say, “Help!” And when we do, who shows up? Jesus, our next-door Savior. Go ahead, ask him: “Do you untie knots?” “Yes,” he will say.