When you have lived somewhere for awhile, you feel as though you know everyone. You see them at the stores and visit. You talk about them with your neighbors. You have preconceived notions about them.
A preconceived notion is an opinion formed without adequate evidence. You have heard something about them or you saw them do something and automatically formed an opinion about that person. Those opinions get in the way. You have already decided whether or not these people are true believers in Christ or just Sunday morning Christians. You scroll right on past their social media posts about the Lord. Even if what you thought about them is not true or they are trying to change, your mind is set and you probably would not give them a chance to show that they really are a true believer.
I think we have all been there at one time – we formed an opinion about someone based on what little we could see of their lives. Most of the time, just like an iceberg, we only see the tip of a life. There is so much going on underneath the surface that we never take the time to see. We have our opinion and we move on. No second chances, no clean slate, no starting over.
What if the Lord treated us like we treat other people? Sorry, fresh out of second chances. You have messed up too much to start over. I cannot give you a clean slate. I am so thankful that the Lord never gave up on me. I am just a piece of clay that the Lord is trying to mold into the Christian He knows I can be. I will mess up and I will let you down. I am a work in progress.
It is my prayer that we would look at everyone through the eyes of Jesus and realize that this person is someone that Jesus loves and they are absolutely worth our time and attention.
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