A Friend Of Sinners

Jesus loved sinners and even shed His blood, dying for them.  It is easy for believers to live a Christian life and avoid sinners, but we are not in this world to hide our light, but to let it shine so that the entire world can see our light.  The Word says this in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

If we avoid sinners, and shun them, having nothing to do with them because they are sinners, we might as well not be here.  We are here to be the Lord’s witnesses, to be His hands and feet and His Ambassadors so in order to do that we need to be in contact with the non-believers that are sinners.  Jesus hated sin but He didn’t shun sinners, in fact He went to their homes and even ate with them and at the same time He confronted them with their sins.

Think about the Samarian woman at the well, He told her she had five husbands and that the one see was living with was not her husband.  All of Jesus’ disciples were sinners and Jesus spent most of His time with them even knowing that Judas Iscariot would betray Him, Peter would deny Him and Thomas would doubt Him, but He spent most of His time with all of them.  When Mary Magdalene a prostitute, came to where He was eating and drinking with sinners, He didn’t shun her but He confronted the self-righteous people that wanted to condemn her.  What about the tax collector, Zacchaeus, Jesus went to his house and stayed with him.  And what about the women caught in adultery, Jesus ministered to her then He told her to go and sin no more.  

Jesus didn’t shun the sinners, He loved them and even healed them, delivered them and, for many, He became their Savior and Lord.  How will people really know that Jesus loves them unless they experience it from those that claim to be His followers?  

It took a long time for me to believe that God loved me as the Word says because I didn’t see much of it displayed.  The people that God used at the time to show me that He loved me were my wife, a man that I know named, Dan Comfort, and a few others for which I am very thankful.  My wife has shown me unconditional love from the first time she told me she loved me until this day, which has been over 37 years, and to this day it still amazes me and I count myself so blessed to have her.  She loved me when it seemed impossible, and believe me, I am not an easy man to get along with at times.  Not many people seem to want to take the time to try to understand me, but no matter how miserable I have been, she has always loved me, praise the Lord!!  She doesn’t like me to brag about her and believe me I have, but I will say this, and I have said it before, if you ever find a woman like my wife you better hang onto her with both hands, feet and a chain, so to speak, and never let her go.  Let me ask you a question: what do you think I would do if she ever left me?  I would pack my bags and go with her.

Excuse me, I got a little side-tracked there; let me get back to Jesus and how He loved sinners.  Our relationship to others is very important, not only to believers but also non-believers, whatever their lifestyle is.  Letting our light shine through by loving our families and neighbors shows the love of Christ to a lost, sinful and dying world, so let’s take Jesus’ example to heart and apply it to our lives.  Let us not only love the sinner in Word, but also in deed.  God bless you and yours and have a great day!!  P.S. don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord for He is worthy, plus He inhabits the praise of His people.