Scripture:
1 Tim 2:4-5 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
Observation:
There is one God. God desires all people to be saved. There is only one way to be saved and that is through Jesus Christ. To be saved a person needs to know the truth.
Application:
I recently traveled to Seattle. Seattle has a large homeless population. Seattle provides benefits to homeless people to the point that other cities now provide transportation to the homeless to send them to Seattle. There were a large number of people living on the streets and in tents on the sides of the roads. Some begged but most didn’t. They just sat on the sidewalk or in groups.
Sometimes they are dirty. Unbathed. Unshaven. Sometimes they have a dog and I asked myself “How can they afford to feed a dog?” I often found myself trying to avoid them as I walked down the sidewalks, looking past them as I walked by or walking on the other side of the street if I saw someone asking for money. One person I was with even said “Don’t give them money. It will just go to beer or drugs”.
God loves each person just as much as he loves you and me. God desires all and not just some. He didn’t say he only desires the rich or people that have jobs or live in homes. He desires all.
Does my reaction and my attitude toward these individuals match Jesus’ love for them? Does my attitude reflect a Christian attitude? I can’t give enough money to make them rich. What do they need the most? Money, love or the truth? How can I show my love for a group of people that most try to walk away from, shy away from, ignore or avoid?
I know I can’t reach everyone on a 5 day business trip. But sometimes God exposes us to things to help us see new perspectives, different areas of need. There are needs everywhere. We don’t have to travel to find people who are hurting. They may be in need of money, housing or just have things that need to get done that they can’t physically do. But the biggest need is knowing the truth.
Prayer:
Help me to identify opportunities in my life and in the people I meet to help spread your truth. Open my eyes to the people in my life that need you the most yet know you the least.