I have had something stirring in my heart for a few days. I am not certain how to get it all out, so if I bumble through this post, please forgive me. Let me try the best I can to get out what is in my heart.
Have you ever felt as though you are a second class citizen? I mean feeling as though you are not as good as someone else. Or believing because of your situation that you are not as valuable as another? I don't know your situation, but maybe you are living paycheck to paycheck and your kids don't have new shoes. Maybe you are on government assistance and you use food stamps to buy your food at the grocery store. Maybe you are ashamed of how you are living your life. Maybe you are a drug addict just looking for the next fix. Maybe you are a man or Woman that is in jail or prison because of choices you have made. Maybe you feel shame because you have been sexually abused by a loved one but haven't told anyone.
We have seen time and again in the scriptures about Jesus redeeming those that society during His time on this earth that have been exiled or rejected. No matter how bad something has gotten for you, at least you haven't been taken into the town square and threatened with a stoning.
John 8:4-7 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. (5) Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" (6) This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. (7) So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
The scriptures go on and say this:
John 8:10-11 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" (11) She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
It did not matter to Jesus what the woman had done. It mattered what her accusers were trying to do. If any of them had been without sin then Jesus was saying that person should throw the first stone. Of course, no one is without sin so no one could throw a stone at her and the crowd dispersed.
In John chapter 4, we see where Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well who had many men that were not her husbands and was living with yet another man that was not her husband. Jesus did not condemn her for her choices. Instead He said,
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, (14) but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
Luke 23:39-43 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." (40) But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." (42) Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (43) And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
Even a thief can be saved when he recognizes the person of Jesus. The one thief was mocking Jesus as they all hung on the crosses. The second thief rebuked the first and then, recognizing who Jesus was only asked to be remembered when Jesus came into His Kingdom. Instead, Jesus said that thief would be with Him that day in paradise.
The woman that had an illness that caused blood to flow for more than a decade was healed through her faith in Him. In fact, all she wanted to do was just touch the hem of His robe. She was on the ground, likely getting stepped over and stepped on, and just touched the hem of His robe. Jesus told her that her faith had made her well. From that moment the woman no longer had that flow of blood.
Matthew 9:20-22 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. (21) For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." (22) But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
In Matthew chapter 8 we see where Jesus healed a leper. Those that were afflicted with leprosy were piriahs of their day. They were sent away and isolated for fear of the disease spreading to others uncontrollably. They were definitely not touched by anyone. They were rejected from society and sent away. But, when the leper approached Jesus, Jesus actually touched the man (gasp!) and the word says "immediately" the man was cleansed from the disease.
It really doesn't matter what you have done, what people think you have done, what people think about you. Jesus still offers acceptance into His arms.
Luke 5:27-32 After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." (28) So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. (29) Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. (30) And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" (31) Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (32) I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
See, Jesus did not sit inside the synagogues and just talk with the pharisees and scribes. He was out among the people who He knew needed Him. He was out with the people showing them that the God of all Creation loved them. Nothing has changed today. Jesus may not physically walk on this earth anymore, but His presence is always around us and always with us. No matter your situation, He can heal and make you whole No matter what you are doing, He offers forgiveness and acceptance just for who you are just because of who He is.
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (2) And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Jesus paid the price for our sins once and for all. He is an advocate with the Father on our behalf, because we all do sin every day. So, you see, we only need to come to Him.
John 6:35-37 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (36) But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. (37) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
If we come to Him, He will not cast us out. Does it matter that you might have walked away as the Prodigal son did? No, He will accept you upon your return to Him. Does it matter that you have allowed the bad things in your life to move you into places of promiscuity or drug addiction, or other things you know to be wrong? No. Absolutely not. He will accept those that come to Him. He offers no rejection for the heart that seeks Him out. No matter what people do, say, or think. No matter the rejection that people offer you. Jesus Christ extends love that holds no conditions on you, and He extends acceptance into His familly of adopted sons and daughters.
Don't feel less today because you believe you have been rejected by society and there is no hope for you. Don't feel like there is no other way. Jesus says there is a better way. There is love and acceptance for those that come to Him. He takes us as we are. Not as we believe we should be.
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