Something just passing through my mind this evening. I don't think any of us really can grasp how deep and vast the human soul and heart are. There are no psychological tests with which to measure the greatness of a single human heart. There are no tools to measure the depth of the soul. We cannot chart or graph the potentialities of our family, friends, or loved ones. The closest we can come to an accurate estimate of the value of a single human is to look at Calvary and see what God thought a human soul was worth. Look at Luke 15. There are three parables here. One with 99 sheep and one lost one. The next with 9 silver coins and one lost one. Finally, the famous story of the older and younger brother. Why this order? I believe it is to show something about the way God thinks. To him, the 100 sheep are not merely a flock of sheep. Each one, in His eyes, is as important as both of the sons in the last story. We see the same thing in Luke 7:11-15. There are multitudes surrounding Jesus but Luke takes the time to record this singular interaction. Jesus looked at this woman and his heart went out to HER. We see it again in Matthew 9:36. "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Jesus sees each person as of great importance. We are great sinners but we are greatly loved. C. S. Lewis puts it this way:
"There are no 'ordinary' people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whome we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit -- immortal horrors or everlasting splendours." (The Weight of Glory)
How does this play out in our relationships? If our Lord and Savior treats each person as worth so much, how can we think differently? If we are being conformed to His image, must we not take each and every one of our friendships and relationships as of immense importance? The idea of snubbing or hurting another person should move us to fear. Seeing a good friend hurt moves us to anger but how often do we casually take relationships? Look at the way Jesus deals with people in the gospels. It should cause us to cringe at our comparative indifference to those for whom Christ died.
Knowing this truth changes the way we live. Yes, ever person who crosses our path could have either a Josef Stalin or an Apostle Paul buried within them somewhere. Every soul can be truly great and God does not see us as we are but as we will be. So should we be petrified with fear that we will hurt one for whom Christ died? With everything we say or do we are having an effect on a person's potential. We either draw them closer to God and cause them to rise above where they are and make them a better person or we push them away from God and make them worse. So do we simply withdraw ourselves fearing that we will hurt them? Or do we boldly strive to draw them closer to God?
The answer is prayer and trust. Yes, each interaction is of enormous importance. Yes, a foolishly spoken word could have disastrous consequences. Yes, it is healthy to fear hurting another human being. No, we cannot withdraw ourselves or allow that fear to paralyze our friendships and relationships. We were created to be in community. We were created to interact with others and to have an effect on their life. We must simply learn to really believe that we have a loving, trustworthy, SOVEREIGN Father who is guiding human history with his nail-pierced hand. We must believe that He will not allow anything to happen that will not result in greater glory for Himself and that no mistake we make will surprise Him.
So go out there and accept that mistakes will happen, people will be hurt, and sin will be committed. But don't live recklessly or carelessly. Live in the fear of the Lord and submit to one another. Love and serve and give and forgive. Be Jesus to a lost and dying world.
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