In the two previous “Are We Doing Something Wrong” articles, I suggested that the biggest problem that the church has today (and I know there are a lot of other real issues) is that we are not being clear with the core message of Jesus’ good news. Here it is again.
God loves the unlovable, unloved and the unlovely.
Let me put it differently. God loves sinners. That’s all there are. I am not saying that God loves all sinners. I am saying that God’s love pursues and embraces very troubled, needy, unloved people—all of whom have fallen short of His glory.
Case study? Look at Jesus on the Galilean mountain. It was hurting broken people who came, in droves, to be in the presence of this man Jesus. Sinners all.
This man did not draw back from unclean people (Jews and non-Jews). He didn’t seem to dishonor anyone. He said that the beat up were blessed in His presence, in His Kingdom, in His world.
Skin disease? You were welcomed in his embrace, Circumcised? Uncircumcised, blessed in his eyes. A woman? An immigrant, an unbeliever? Being with Him was like being in a safe honoring, shame-free place of healing. In front of Jesus, humanity grew more human.
He represented an aspect of God that had been long lost. God is a God who pursues the shamed and dishonored in the world for the purpose of raising them up to honor as sons and daughters, without respect of family and tribe of origin, sex, age, disposition, or anything else. This God honors the shamed far beyond what they deserved. Strings? Loopholes? Quid pro quo? Come all who are thirsty. All you need is need. Just come and be embraced, be honored, be lifted up, be adopted.
It was here that these men, women, boys and girls, Jews and Gentiles, atheists, jews, multi-deists, came to experience a person who was irrationally crazy about them. And they followed. Why wouldn’t they. They realized that they were so much better human beings with him than without him.
Child psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner said “Every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her.” But this is true for adults too. This is true for men, women, teens, the traumatized, the good and the bad. The gospel is that for those poor people on the hillside and we Christians since is that we have one person who is irrationally crazy about us, as we are. That makes a huge difference.
I will carry on with this thought in the next God’s Love for the Unlovable article.
Check out the other God’s Love for the Unlovable shows on many Lifestream TV’s networks (Women, Drug Free, Men, Church, Lifestream Network). Also, check out my website, www.Gospel-App.com. Lots of resources, videos, programs, books, and bookmarks, many free.
Take heart, child of God.
