You are priceless. Jesus was the payment that was required to cover the appraised value God set on you. It is a humbling thought. As I continued to meditate on this God would not let me let it go. And then it hit me. He whispered, "They are priceless too." Who are "they"?
"They" are the lost. The sinners. You see God paid the same price for them. He appraised them at the same value as us. The adulterer; same as us. The thief; same as us. The homosexual; same as us. The politician; same as us. (I know that one is pushing it) How about the child molester? No matter how disgusting and detestable the sin "they" might be entangled in currently, he assessed them and offered their appraisal and He paid it gladly.
We have a lot of problems with that thought. But God doesn't. He sees them the same way He sees us. Through the blood of Christ. He sees them and appraises them as He created them to be, not by the destructive state sin may have brought them to. And if they accept his invitation He will restore them, just as He restored us.
We need to see the lost as He does. "They" are the pearl of great price. When Jesus looked out at the crowds it broke His heart. His love for them was birthed from the desire for them. Their value to Him. Listen to how Jesus viewed these sinners.
Mark 6:34 (HCSB) So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.
Luke 7:13 (HCSB) When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, "Don't cry."
Luke 19:41 (HCSB) As He approached and saw the city, He wept over it,Jesus saw "them" and had compassion on them. He wept over the destruction and blindness sin brought into their lives. I am convicted that we, the church, most see "them" as He does if we are to reach them with the Gospel. We need to repent. James has this rebuke.
James 2:4 (HCSB) haven't you discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?We are often like those that brought the woman to Jesus. We look down our nose at "those" sinners. Yet what was Jesus' response? He asks who had not sinned. That is the point. There is no "us" and "them". We have all been tainted by sin. We are all in the same boat. We were made by God, sin brought destruction into our lives and God showed His love, His appraisal, for us by purchasing us with the blood of Jesus. ALL of us. Let us see others as Jesus sees them. They are a treasure. They are priceless too.
Need Help developing this kind of heart for the lost? Here is a great resource. "A Passion for Souls" by john Henry Jowett. This is a great book. It is older so the English used is older in its dialect but its easy to get past. It reads like a personal diary. Highly recommend it.
Read it FREE online: http://www.dustandashes.com/159.htm
Purchase it here: http://www.dustandashes.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=4&zenid=s9n5ok8c4j61chnm1160dic844
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