Jesus is sweet. When people really hear about His love, compassion, mercy, power, and grace He is attractive. I have experienced this in my own life and in the lives of others.
As I read in the scriptures sinful people were attracted to Jesus. Yet in our day sinful people are often repelled from the churches that gather under His name. Too often those gripped in sin find judgment, condemnation, and rejection in the sanctuaries of the Savior. When Jesus walked the dusty roads in His day He ate with tax collectors and sinners. He had a prostitute was His feet with her hair. He counseled and consoled a woman caught in the act of adultery and yet firmly called her on her sin. He talked to a woman who had many former husbands and lived with her current lover outside of wedlock leading her to truth.
Jesus is still sweet but do we as the people of God truly reflect the love and nature of Jesus? We can turn people off with our legalism, conflict in congregations, power moves, manipulation, and downright hypocrisy. How many people have felt the icy stares and heard the behind the back whispers when they courageously tried attending church in the past.
Many years ago I had a conversation with a man who did a lot of street ministry. He often dealt with drug addicts and prostitutes. With tears in his eyes he said, "Those people are attracted to Jesus but they can't get to Him because of some people in the church."
May we not be the reason people are repelled from Christ and His church. May His life in us make Jesus all the more attractive to the sinner, downtrodden, hopeless, and the wounded. May they discover like millions of others have that Jesus saves, forgives, redeems, heals, restores, and rescues people from all economic levels, backgrounds, and pasts. Jesus is sweet. Salvation is sweet. The abundant life is sweet.
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