What I’m Thinking: Throwaway

The good people criticized Jesus for spending so much time with the bad people. Jesus, however, doesn’t throw anyone away.

Here’s a transcript:

I’m thinking about the fifteenth chapter of Luke (Luke 15:1-10).

Some of the good people, some of the respectable people, some of the folks who led religious communities, some of the folks that you or I would go to with questions, seeking advice, some of the people whose opinions about what was right and wrong, good and bad, whose opinions we would respect, whose advice we might even follow: some of these people noticed that Jesus didn’t always hang out with good people. Sometimes, they said, Jesus would join bad people at a table and eat with them.

How could he do such a thing?

Jesus replied with two of his most famous stories. One about the woman with ten coins, but one goes missing, so that’s the one she searches for. The shepherd with a hundred sheep but one goes astray. That is the one that he spends his time searching for.

Why don’t we think about people that way, asked Jesus. Why don’t we search for the lost?

Jesus was right.

We think of ourselves as a “throwaway society,” and so we are. But the sad truth is is that nearly every human society has been a “throw away people” society. There are some whom we value. There are some…

There are some that we cast aside.

And Jesus with these stories – Jesus with his presence at table with “those people” – Jesus said, I will not cast them aside. There are no throwaway people. Not to me. And not to God.

If you feel like others have abandoned you, know that God never has, never does, never will.

And if you are someone who has left others behind, know this: You didn’t have to. You don’t have to. You can join them at a table as soon as you may.

That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below; I’d love to hear from you.