Read: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. (v. 17)
When he made his first foray into television, Fred Rogers hated that medium. He saw it as a platform in which human degradation was turned into entertainment. Instead of merely co-opting this inherently corrupt mechanism to do good, Mr. Rogers eventually created a model that redeemed television as a medium. In a blog post, Jonathan Merritt wrote, “[Mr.] Rogers was more than a great neighbor or good host; he was a restorer.” Merritt then quotes author Gabe Lyons, who says that a restorer is someone who views the world as it ‘ought to be’” (The Next Christians).
Christ calls every believer to be a “restorer,” to see every human being as redeemable. This is a challenge. We regularly interact with people who offend our sensibilities and attack our values. Plus, today’s media invites us to dismiss and even dehumanize those with whom we differ.
We’re reminded that to save the world, Jesus Christ entered the world: a world full of people who were infinitely beneath him, impossibly unworthy of his attention, and inevitably hostile to his presence. Jesus poured out his life for a world that would take his life. He became sin for us that in him we might become God’s righteousness (v. 21). If, as Jesus said, no servant is above his master (John 13:16), then we have a sacred duty to do what Jesus did for us: view others not through the lens of our (self-)righteous indignation, but through the lens of his redeeming love.
As you pray, ask the Lord to give you his redemptive perspective.
About the Author
Ben Van Arragon is the Minister of Worship and Leadership at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He preaches and teaches the Bible in church, online, and anywhere else he has the opportunity.
