On Sunday, guest speaker Jim Donahue preached from Luke 15:1-7. This is the parable that Jesus told concerning the lost sheep. He told it to show what kind of heart he has for the lost. I don't know about you, but like Jim mentioned, it is all too easy for me to praise God loudly on Sunday and then close my mouth and put my hands in my pockets throughout the week. With regard to the unsaved it's easy to put forward minimal effort, be content with my little Christian community and remain self-focused thus missing the people and the opportunities all around me.

But Jesus told this parable so that we would see people like he sees them, so that we would have the Savior's eyes. We can see people who fare pretty well in life, with only a bump here or there. Jesus sees people in danger of the eternal fire of hell. He sees people in need of being saved from the wrath of God. We can see people as just one of the billions of people inhabiting our planet. Jesus sees people who are of great value to God, of such great value they are to be sought after until they are found. We can see people as opposed to the gospel, content with their lives just how they are. Jesus sees the joy of people coming into a relationship with God.

Do you want the Savior's eyes? Do you want to see people and circumstances the way he sees them? Jesus' parable is an invitation for us as a church to adopt his heart and proclaim his gospel. Let's ask God to help us to see the danger, see the value and see the joy in God using us to see lost people turn to Jesus. And let's in turn take the step of faith to pursue the lost with this kind of expectancy!