Wednesday, 16 July 2008
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"But He's Not Worth Saving!" Pt. 1
In Sunday School growing up, I had always been told that Jonah was afraid to go to Nineveh to minister to the people there. Not true! Jonah didn't think the Ninevites were worth the saving grace of Yahweh. I didn't think I could be like Jonah until I met my neighbor across the hall....This man complains about everything to everyone, gets into fights with the other neighbors and calls the police on them or the bar far down the road for noise. His apartment sometimes smells like vomit, he hit and dented my new car-door with his, he always yells at his pet birds, he sweeps the dirt and debris from between our doors onto my mat and he smokes pot. If I put a bag of garbage on my door-step, he'll toss it down the stairs. The man actually cut down a bunch of sapling trees in the woods right outside my window and he knocked a robin's nest out of a tree this spring (no eggs, at least...he isn't a killer).
I know about Jesus' love for us and how we should spread that around, but I really wanted to avoid my neighbor on this front. He was so angry and bitter that I believed only God could help him....but I didn't want to be the one to "witness". If Jesus wanted my neighbor saved, he could do it on his own.
For the past few months, whenever I paid my tithe to one church or another, my neighbor's name and the idea of giving him the money instead would ring in my mind. Of all the people to give money to...him? He's mean! So the thought couldn't have been Jesus! I was arguing with God about it...or trying to discern if it was really him who was dropping the thought into my head.
"God, he's not worth saving!" As soon as I thought that, a heavy conviction and grieving struck my spirit. How dare I, also a person not worth saving though was saved anyway, think such a thing about another human?!
So [Jonah] complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people." Jonah 4:2, NLT
Call me Jonah, because I did do what God asked me to, and with surprising results. I'll share tomorrow what happened, but know my impressions of my neighbor changed completely, and for a moment this afternoon, I saw him as Jesus does.....
To be continued....
Do you ever catch yourself thinking like Jonah - that some people just aren't worth the effort? Has God ever moved you to reach out to someone who seemed beyond help?
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Comments (33)
I am gonna be pondering this thought....
It is true we do meet these people who seem so cold and unloveable, too often I assume that love will be easy, and that I'll desire to help those who need it...but when love is really tested (in such a case) I often fall short.
You're having an amazing experience...I am excited to hear more!
Yeah, I grew up thinking that Jonah was scared of what God was telling him to do, so he didn't do it. Then God was angry and punished him. I always thought that was the point of the story.
Now when I read it, I realize that it's about God's unconditional love. It shows God's persistence in reaching others. Even when we don't think they deserve it, God still puts us in the place of loving the unlovable. I also see the grace God had on Jonah. He still worked through him. The same way He works through us (usually when we think He isn't).
But yes. There have been many people I thought didn't deserve it. Especially when I think of extremists in the Middle East. I really think they all deserve to be bombed and go to hell. I don't think they are worthy of salvation. But sometimes, I don't think it's a matter of thinking they are worthy as much as I think it is impossible.
Good post! I think we have all been guilty of thinking like Jonah at one point or another. I face this challenge most when I feel led to minister to people of other beliefs. I know that they are whatever religion they are and figure that I'd be wasting my breath. I figue that they are "unsaveable" because they have heard about Jesus and chose another route.
Thanks for posting this.
God is teaching us a good lesson through Jonah. There are many times we don't feel like someone is "worth saving" - the mentally ill relative who won't get help, or is beyond our help - they can only be helped by professionals - or the alcoholic or drug addict who is digging his own grave....how do we help those who don't yet want to be helped? Surely, they are as human as us; while unloveable on the surface, they are still God's child and worthy of his love. How do we approach them, or do we hold them at arm's length? How do we help them without letting them pollute or damage our own lives and families? There are some very difficult people out there. It's not as easy as taking in an abandoned or injured animal.
Have you ever thought about taking it a step further and realizing that Jonah was right? In fact, he was so incredibly right that his right-ness is what makes this story worth telling. One of the most oft-quoted verses to people that we deem "worth saving," is "But G-d demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Why don't we also toss in "know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put are faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified." -Galatians 2:16. Or how about "There is no one righteous, not even one" -Romans 3:9.
The beauty of salvation, of the Atonement, of Christianity, is that not one of us is worth saving. There has never been a man who found himself in the situation of being in need of salvation AND of being worthy of it. Jesus was worthy, but he didn't need it, the opposite is true for the rest of us. When it occurs to you that your neighbor, your cousin, your abusive father, your great-uncle Milton, or your ex-girlfriend isn't worth saving, don't say to G-d "Whoops, I didn't mean that, of course he/she is!" Instead, say to yourself "That's true, but then again, neither were you."Instead of continually trying to see the human race as existing in the perfection G-d intended it to, why not acknowledge the fact that each one of us is worthy of Hell, and thereby identify yourself with the person you are disgusted by. It's a whole lot harder to think of them as unworthy if you realize you are just as bad. "But for the grace of G-d, there too go I" -Not the Bible so far as I can tell, but true
I think we again miss the point.
We think that WE, as ourselves, have value. If we see ourselves as we really are, that our righteousness is that of rags (know what rags he's talking about..?) then we won't have this issue. Granted, in Christ and cleansed by His blood we have value, purpose, but without it, we are wretched and have no value.
**realize that God didn't save you because you were worth saving, but because He is love**
In saying that others have value, people justify their pride in their own self and encourage others to do the same. But when we say that we are worthless too, then Christs love is shown to be all that it truly is ans it shines all the greater.
@shedinator@xanga -
AYE! You've got it, and that's excatly what we need to think, say and do-
Good for you for obeying the Holy Spirit's voice and Christ's command to love your neighbor as yourself.
Until you really get to know someone, you never know what they have gone through in their life. Such is often in the case of some of the most angry people. Many times what they have gone through is unimaginably horrible, and would be more than most people could even bear.
And oftentimes, they have just not been loved enough by anyone. In this country, even many in the church judge people superficially, as the world does, often not even really giving people a chance, let alone the benefit of the doubt.
Contrary to what the Bible teaches, that we are ALL sinners, and that man's righteousness is like filthy rags, so many churchgoers today think they are somehow better than others if they have lived holy lives blessed and protected from evil often never having fallen into "serious" sins.
The Bible calls that legalism and self-righteousness. Having a form of godliness (morality), and thinking they are better than others.
Let me tell you, without being born again and being filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in step with Him, the Bible says: “' The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?'" - Jeremiah 17:9.
Also many people today think that they could never become like others, filled with anger or doing evil. Wrong. I don't care who you are, if enough evil happens to you, for some it takes much less than others; anyone can become anything. Don't fool yourselves.
I just said this on another post, but I'll say it again: Time (alone) does not heal all wounds. Especially today with so many having cold hearts and treating people badly. Its easy to become damaged and emotionally crippled without someone to care about you.
here's my take...
You remember that parable about the rich man and the beggar?
The beggar asked the rich man for grain which the rich man had loads of but the rich man refused him. Now when they died the rich man's in hell and the beggar is in Heaven. The rich man asks if he could get a drop of water and the beggar denied him due to his past behavior.
Basically what comes around goes around if he's such an asshole to everyone he wouldn't receive any help from me...
Unless i feel he's truly sorry for his behavior and there's a damn good reason for it
@Phoenix_Fire86@xanga - Lazarus didn't deny the rich man water, G-d did. that's a pretty skewed and inaccurate view on the Bible. Christ used that parable to warn people against unkindness and selfishness, not to encourage them to treat others as they are treated. If you want that kind of message, check out Hammurabi's code. What about Jesus' whole discourse on loving your enemy, turning your cheek, etc? You are taking the views of the Pharisees, who thought themselves to be more righteous than others. Those same Pharisees were called hypocrites by Christ. The Bible is very clear that we are all wretched, and none of us are deserving of salvation. Based on your answer, you are not willing to forgive someone for an indiscretion unless they apologize to you. Does that mean you don't expect forgiveness unless you ask for it?
Forgive as the Lord forgave you- unconditionally.
I disagree with many of the posters claim that we have "no value". The creator felt we had value in His sight to be vessels of honor or dishonor.
Jesus would not have left heaven to fulfill the covenant and to be our substitutionary atonement and forensically justify us so we could be reconciled to Him if we had no value.
We have no grounds upon which to claim any righteousness or anything other than agreeing with God's rightful judgment of condemnation on us for sinning against Him and hating Him.
It will only ever be His righteousness that gives us any hope of being the sons of God. But because of His righteousness and who He describes that we are in Christ, no value seems a improper descriptive. We are an object of His love and affection and His bride---completely unworthy bride.
We do need to recognize that is who we are "in Christ" and in that aspect alone. I do understand where you are coming from though.
I've come to a point where I don't move to minister to anyone unless Abba leads me to. That way I don't have to worry about if I'm so inclined or not. Of course, I still have trouble not auto-piloting on those who are closest to me - still working on that one - but otherwise I just wait on Him.
@shedinator@xanga - was that lazarus? same lazarus that risen from the dead? eh look up later
I could've sworne it just a random nameless parable in the bible hey skewered veiws of the bible is what you get when you slowly forget everything you learned in Catholic school 12 years ago (jeez i feel old) Well that's what i always gotten from that parable as well you shouldn't be unkind and selfish
of course the whole discourse about turning the other cheek. I asked myself one day. What would happen just if i keep turning the other cheek? Will that person ever realize that is actually hurtful and would that stop that person from doing it to someone else? Don't think from what i said i'm going to instantly answer situations like these with violence but I'm going to do whatever it is necessary to prevent another slap. There's always a different action depending on the circumstances and with that said yeah for the MOST (not all the time) part I'm not willing to forgive someone for an indiscretion against me unless they ask for it or apologize.
Forgiving someone means nothing if they don't want or ask for it.I understand forgiving someone for act that wasn't deliberate, but to forgive someone for intentional acts against me when they don't ask for forgiveness or apologize for that act is just foolish least in my opinion.
@Phoenix_Fire86@xanga - Jesus, while dying on the cross: Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.(Luke 23:34)
Stephen, while being stoned to death: Lord, do not hold this sin against them. (Acts 7:60)
Paul, speaking to the Colossians: Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (col 3:13)
In regards to turning the other cheek, it can easily be balanced out:
-Brothers, if one of you is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently, but watch yourself or you also may be tempted (Gal 6:1)
-Matthew 18:15-18
There are ways to confront people about the wrong they have done you. Repaying evil for evil is not one of them.
And no, it wasn't the same lazarus, it was just the name Jesus chose in the story. It's Luke 16:19-31
@chatattack500@xanga - Our accomplishments and our "goodness" are valueless, but for some reason God considers us of tremendous value, worth dying for. The stories of the lost sheep and the prodigal son, and the Gospel itself, illustrate that. If the Creator considers us valuable, why shouldn't we think that way about ourselves and each other?
Sadly, I think we all think a little like Jonah sometimes. We just have to keep in mind though that we aren't any better than the next person -- we are also just ordinary people in need of a Savior.
Going through a divorce, I've been thinking like Jonah too. It's taking everything I got to try to see my erstwhile husband and his girlfriend through God's eyes.
Did you give the money to the neighbor after all? Perhaps anonymously?
You're insane and demented.
There is no "god."
Get some psychiatric help.
i dont think its your place to deem someone unworthy of being "saved", if that is what "god" does.
i personally have no idea.
Great story. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
I had an evil uncle (literally a very bad person) who the Lord put on my heart to pray for. I prayed fervently for a short while and found out later he died around the time my prayers came to a close. Someday, in heaven, I'll find out what God did with those prayers. I don't regret the praying, and I would have regretted not obeying God. If he makes it into heaven, anyone can...and that's the point!
We had this awful neighbor, mean to all, who was gay and dying of aids. Well, I KNOW Jesus helped the lepers. I KNOW I was supposed to help this man, if only with human kindness. YET...he was really awful. scared the kids. etc.
So - he became my project. And then, I began to notice the community within our little courtyard of town houses. Two other families were really substantially helping. WE began to become a community, and trade "best practices" This was so awesome! NOT gossip. Each of us struggled in our own ways, how to help him. YET we talked NOT about this point, but rather how we did "get through."
Did I imagine that he seemed more human? When he brought a plate of cookies left over from a party, how I had to reach deep to appreciate! I KNOW the science, we cannot "catch" it this way. But everything....the gayness, the disease......yet, thought of Timmothy. St Paul said, "if the food (offered to idols) offends you, don't eat it" If it offends YOU. NOt that the FOOD itself was corrupted. And I thought of my neighbor's progress to be so thoughtful, and he was thinking of my kids! What amazing growth. We ate them, in offering and gratitude. Maybe for me not quite with a total heart, yet.
Later, God worked amazingly. He had been alienated from God for some time. His situation got worse, he sold the house to move to AZ with his brother and dry air to help the lungs. When he returned a few months later, he told me the sale fell through, but it was God. When he went there, he wanted to please the brother so came to church with him. At the introduction, his brother said this is my brother......x....and he has AIDS! My neighbor though he would die. But then, many came up ....and her realized that the church had a special mission for aids people. He later came to help lead it. He and God reconciled.
He was changed. He died not long afterwards. YET.....how humbling that I had a very very small part in that.
Thanks to God. I had MANY jonah moments with that one! yet, God won the day.....and many hearts.