Friday, February 21, 2014

No Ordinary People


“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV)

Recently, I walked up to a group of students, all Christians whom I knew, and greeted them.  One barely looked up from her computer to acknowledge me.  I don’t think she intended to be rude; it’s just how people are today.  They are too absorbed in what they are presently doing to acknowledge others, often even those they know.  People are into whatever is on their screens or coming through their headphones. Without realizing it, through our self-absorption we often fail to validate the most precious of creatures.

C.S. Lewis once wrote: “It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people.” (The Weight of Glory)

Lewis gives us a sober reminder.  The people we often ignore are truly extraordinary and have great worth.  They are creations of the God of the universe, for whom He desires a great destiny—eternal life and to become like Him (I John 3:2) In fact, a great sacrifice was made, blood was shed, to enable that destiny to become a possibility.

As Lewis so eloquently states, there are no ordinary people.  No one can be ignored as unimportant or not worth our time.  Jesus gave up His life for all of them.

Today, recognize the people you meet—the stranger, the acquaintance, or the friend—are extraordinary and precious to the Lord.  For He gave up His life for them, which should tell us all we need to know about their value.  

© Jim Musser 2014

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