What Do You See?

Have you ever gone to the lumber section in Home Depot?  What do you see when you look?  A lot of people will look and just see a bunch of wood in nice stacks.  Some people walk in and just look at the price and shake their head.  Others look at the condition of the lumber and can't believe that anybody would even put it in with the other boards.

I guess I might be different than other people.  I like to go into Home Depot and just look around.  Usually when I go to the lumber section I like to look at the potential that is in the lumber.  Or what that lumber can become in the right hands.  I see a shed, a deck, a finished basement, cabinetry, or furniture.  I also understand that as I think of what the product could be and how nice it could be that their is a price tag for that.  And I also realize that not every board may be the most desirable for my project but they can all be used for something.  Some need the edges sanded down, some need to be cut down to remove a bad spot.  But the fact is if I don't see the potential in that lumber then I'm not going to invest my time and money into it.

Unfortunately this is how a lot of Christians view sinners.  You look at them but because of their condition and the time it would take you, you pass them by instead of witnessing to them.  In other words, because of their personal appearance, financial condition or over all life style we don't consider giving them the time of day.  These people may be broken inside, forsaken by others and looking for a reason of hope.  And the whole time we have the answer for their need.  But due to our lack of compassion or our desire to do God's will we decide to pass by and let somebody else tell them about Jesus.

Romans 5:8 says But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  We need to understand this verse and take it to heart.  It says while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  God looked ahead in time and saw us in our sin, he saw how we would treat him and how we would use him.  He saw us in our broken condition.  He saw the price it would take to redeem us and despite all that he endured the cross for us.  While the world looked at us as worthless he saw the potential in each one of us.  He knew what we could become in the hands of the master.  And because of his love for us he invested his very best to pay the penalty of sin.

Next time you decide to pass up the chance to witness.  Take a look at the potential in that person.  Look beyond their faults and condition.  Because after all, God did say whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.