Everyone Matters
Scripture Reading — Luke 15:4-7
"Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." Luke 15:6
In a world where only people with power, prestige, or wealth seem to count, God brings a different perspective. Jesus shows that even the one who wanders away is important. In fact, the wandering one is so important that the shepherd is willing to leave the rest of the flock to go out and search for the lost one. And when he finds that missing sheep, the shepherd calls his family and friends together to celebrate.
Everyone matters to God. In God's world, in his family, everyone is important. He cares about them all. That's how God thinks and operates. So too in his church, every member matters. The church can never say that one person is more important than another. Jesus tells us the first will be last and the last will be first. God's world is a world of grace. His love is not dependent on our actions. Even when we wander away, God still cares enough to chase us down and bring us home.
Such unconditional love seems strange and makes little sense in our world, where worth is measured in terms of status and productivity. But God sees every person as a child whom he loves. God sees us as his creation. God seeks us out--no matter who we are or what we have become. Such love is beyond our comprehension, yet we know it is real because in Christ, it touches us all. What reason for celebration and rejoicing!
Lord, thank you for chasing us down and bringing us home again. Thank you that you care about every one of us and that you were willing to die for us. In your name, Amen.
About the author — Jerry Dykstra
Pastor Jerry Dykstra was recently appointed as the executive director of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. After a 15-year career in business, he trained for pastoral ministry and served as the pastor of Cascade Fellowship CRC, Cascade, Michigan, and Faith Christian Fellowship CRC, Walnut Creek, California. He and his wife, Linda, live in Byron Center, Michigan, and have three children and seven grandchildren.
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