No Mere Mortals
There are over 7 billion people in the world today. Each one of these people is created for a purpose. Each one of them possesses a soul that will live, or die, forever. C.S. Lewis said:
There are over 7 billion people in the world today. Each one of these people is created for a purpose. Each one of them possesses a soul that will live, or die, forever. C.S. Lewis said:
There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.
But many of us interact with people every day without thought of their eternal trajectory. The things we say or the interest we show or the deeds we do toward them often are short-sighted. We confess hope in the eternal, but in real life deal in the temporal. Our actions, however, are profoundly impacting others’ eternal joy or demise whether we realize it or not. Lewis said, “All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.”
Eyes of Compassion
Lewis had eyes like Jesus did. He understood that people were not to be shied away from or feared or manipulated or marginalized. They were to be loved. That’s why it says of Jesus that “seeing the people, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).
Jesus didn’t see people with contempt; he saw them with compassion. He didn’t see them as a threat; he saw them as threatened. He didn’t see them as servants to his needs; he saw himself as a servant to theirs. They were distressed and dispirited—running around like scared, helpless, weak sheep.
And he would be their Shepherd. He would rescue and save them. He would calm their fears and silence their beleaguered bleating with his peace. He would triumph over their threats and lead them to safety.
When you interact with some of the 7 billion people on earth this week, see them with compassion. See them as distressed and dispirited. See them as sheep without a shepherd, and them introduce them to the Great Shepherd.
Eyes of Compassion
Lewis had eyes like Jesus did. He understood that people were not to be shied away from or feared or manipulated or marginalized. They were to be loved. That’s why it says of Jesus that “seeing the people, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).
Jesus didn’t see people with contempt; he saw them with compassion. He didn’t see them as a threat; he saw them as threatened. He didn’t see them as servants to his needs; he saw himself as a servant to theirs. They were distressed and dispirited—running around like scared, helpless, weak sheep.
And he would be their Shepherd. He would rescue and save them. He would calm their fears and silence their beleaguered bleating with his peace. He would triumph over their threats and lead them to safety.
When you interact with some of the 7 billion people on earth this week, see them with compassion. See them as distressed and dispirited. See them as sheep without a shepherd, and them introduce them to the Great Shepherd.