Who will be Jesus to him...

When I was younger I hear a song on the radio with the words, "Who will be Jesus to them. Who'll show the love that restores them again. They do not need a judge, they need a friend. Who will be Jesus to them."  I heard it once and never heard it again.  This was before internet was popular or at least in my life so I couldn't go look up the name of it.  Instead it has been forever engraved in my mind.


There are certain times when this song comes back into my mind.  I'm sure it's when God is trying to tell me something.  Last Sunday this song was playing loud and clear.  I had been flying home on Saturday and it wasn't until late that night that I heard about the Tragedy in Tucson.  Nathan mentioned it to me right before I went to bed.  It wasn't until the next morning when I realized what a true tragedy it really was. I felt so bad for the victims and their families.  I have been through a tramatic time before and I couldn't help but think that this was only the beginning of this time for them.  The nightmares and constant thought of that day will follow them for along time.  I hope that they will seek help and I pray that they have comfort that surrounds them.  


But there was one person in all of this that I'm sure God has put on my heart, the young man who did all this.  When I see his photo on the news I can't help but think, "who was Jesus to him."  I'm sure most people would think I'm crazy and that he doesn't deserve a thought.  However, he was made by the same God who made everyone else in this world.  He was made to be a child of God and to have a purpose in life.  Unfortunately, he was lost. As most of us do, he got on the wrong track but he stayed there.  He was obviously very sick and needed help.  


Nathan and I are in the process of becoming church planters.  But first we are Christians and children of God.  We were both made for a purpose, like Jared Loughner.  Our jobs are not with the school district, but with Jesus. We are here to "be Jesus" to anyone and everyone.  In the media there are so many "what if" questions about what happened in Tucson. What if someone had crossed that young mans path and showed him Jesus days before the shooting?  Would he have changed his mind and maybe even given his life back to Jesus? It most likely doesn't help to ask "what ifs" in these times.  But it makes me think of something that Paul said in Colissians 4:5..make the most of every opportunity.  Every time we see someone we need to be sharing Jesus with them in some way. 


It's not too late for this young man to find Jesus.  As we pray for the victims and their families we can pray for him and for his family.  We can pray that God will put someone in his life now and help him see Jesus.  We can pray that this won't happen again and that others who are also lost will be found.  After all, "he does not need a judge he needs a friend. So who will be Jesus to him."