What do you see when you look at someone?

What do you see when you see someone for the first time? Do you make judgments about them based on their outward appearance? It's easy to do, and many of us do make such judgments. What do you think Jesus does when He looks at someone? Does He see them for what they are today, or does He see them as what they can become? The correct answer is the latter, and that is the way we need to see people as well.

This may be one of the missing pieces in many church's evangelistic endeavors. While serving in a judicatory role, a leader from one of the churches I served shared with me what happened to their youth ministry. The church had a few kids from the church involved in the youth ministry, but for some reason a number of goth kids in the community began attending as well. Soon, the youth leaders began using the church van to pick up other goth kids to bring to the youth activities. It wasn't too long before the church youth began complaining. They didn't want these kids there with their black clothes, strange haircuts, tattoos and different styles of dress. Although the youth leader didn't tell me, I imagine the parents of the church kids also voiced their concerns. Within a short time the growing youth ministry in that church tanked. The story reminded me of something I read several years ago. The author wrote, "It's obvious we like blue hair on people in our church unless it comes through the front door on a 16-year-old boy."

Too often we want to reach only people who are like us. Many churches do not want the person addicted to drugs, the homeless, those in same-sex relationships, the ones struggling with mental illnesses, those of a different race or nationality, the alcoholic, or anyone who is "not like us." We look at people as they are today and fail to see what they can become when Jesus Christ becomes a part of their lives. Until we do that, we will never effectively fulfill the Great Commission.

Jesus was accused of being a friend of sinners. What a worthy title for every church to possess! Years ago someone wrote that if we want to reach this current generation we will have to learn to sit in the smoking section. There we will find persons for whom Jesus Christ gave His life. Jesus said He did not come for those who were not sick but for those who needed repentance.. He came to bring healing to those whose lives were broken, and this must be the mission of the church as well. The church was never intended to be a hotel for the saints but a hospital for sinners.

We live in a world that is filled with broken people. When Jesus told His disciples the fields were white for harvest I believe He certainly included today's world. People are hungry for something that can transform their lives, and the church can offer them, not something but Someone, who can certainly do that. Unfortunately, we are unlikely to do that until we first begin to see people, not as they are, but what they can become.