by Brian Walters, Director of Adult Ministries @ MBC Loudoun

When reading the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son, one thing becomes crystal clear: everyone single person in this world is important to God. No matter who you are, what you have done with your life, whether you are rich or poor, male or female, young or old, you are precious to God.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). God loves us so much that He sent His own son to be crucified so we could enter into a right relationship with Him. “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:26). God’s love for us never stops.
Luke 15 makes it abundantly clear that God loves us no matter who we are in this world. The take-away is we should strive to love others the way God loves us. We need to love others no matter if they are that annoying co-worker, or that bully who picked on us in high school or someone who was incredibly rude to us in the supermarket. For God tells us the greatest commandment outside loving Him is to love your neighbor as you love yourself (Matt. 22-37-39). There is no better way to reflect God’s love for others then by showing others that they matter to you.
Let us never forget Core Value #1 and let us strive to make sure we live this value out in all aspects of our life and ministry. Let this value define us and guide us. Let this value become part of who we are and part of our spiritual DNA. So the next time someone annoys you, irritates you, or someone you wouldn’t regularly associate with crosses your path, remember to show love and compassion so they will see a reflection of God’s love through your actions. This is what God would do and that is what we should do as fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.