Loving the Losers

Marilyn attended the early service of a lively, vital church in her neighborhood. Afterward, she took her elderly mother to her nearly empty childhood church every Sunday.

The church had flourished during the 1950s and ’60s. Marilyn remembered services overflowing with people of all ages who wanted to win their world for Christ. But over the decades, poor leadership and the inflexibility of many members had reduced the congregation to a few dozen faithful. Townspeople rolled their eyes at the church’s history of bickering and turmoil.

Occasionally Marilyn tried to persuade her mother to change churches. “Lots of older people come to my church. You would enjoy it.”

“I know.” Her mother’s dark eyes smiled sadly. “But this is my church family. If I don’t love and pray for them, who will?”

Daniel, God’s Old Testament prophet, also loved and served a sinful, imperfect people his entire life. Despite his personal obedience to God, Daniel identified with the Israelites who rebelled.

“Please forgive us,” he pleaded. Nowhere in his prayers did Daniel point a finger at his people without including himself. Such love points us all to Jesus.