Jesus' Love for People

Jesus was willing to go out of His way to see about people. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10)

The word seek in this verse comes from the Greek word “ζητέω zēteō” and it emphasizes the fact that Jesus was actively striving, searching and looking for the lost.

Save comes from the Greek word “σῴζω sōzō” and it means “to save, rescue, deliver; to heal; by extension: to be in right relationship with God, with the implication that the condition before salvation was one of grave danger or distress: – saved.”

Jesus was not passive about his mission; he was actively and aggressively searching for people to bring them into right relationship with God.

Jesus loved children; people would bring their children to him for prayer. When his disciplines were annoyed, he said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them…” (Matthew 9:14)
He allowed a sinful women in an expression of love to wash his feet with her hair; the Pharisees were appalled. (Luke 7:36)
Jesus ate with the despised tax collector. Even today, tax collectors are not the most popular people; we love our IRS agents. In Bible times, tax collectors were corrupt. (Mark 2:13-17)
Remember the short tax collector, Zacchaeus. (Read Luke 19) After his encounter with Jesus, he repented, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

Jesus spoke to the people that most, including his disciplines would not be bothered with. Jesus extended himself to the social outcasts of His day. When the Pharisees questioned why Jesus would eat with tax collectors and sinners, his response aligns with His divine purpose and calling, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

In John 4:4, it says, “Now he had to go through Samaria.” Why would he go through Samaria? Afterall, the Jews have nothing to do with Samaria and they do not deal with or talk to the Samaritans. How many times in your life have you heard someone say, “I do not deal with that group. They are too messy. Too much drama…”

I have heard people say, including myself, “I can’t. That is too much drama”. Let’s face it, sometimes, people do not want to deal with people and their drama. Those are the kind of people that Jesus is looking for. Jesus is willing to change his plans and agenda just to make a special trip to come and see about the individuals that some do not want to be bothered with.

My challenge to people who may stumble across today’s blog, especially to those who are Christians, is to strive to love people like Jesus loves people. Soon, I will write a blog post called, “Loving like Jesus loves.”

Jesus’ Love for People