Author: Dana

Over the course of each school year, I show my seventh grade boys a movie filmed in 1999 called JESUS. In one scene, Mary Magdalene watched from a distance as Jesus rescued the woman caught in adultery from being stoned.

As Jesus and His group of disciples passed near where Mary was standing, He looked at her and asked: “Do you want to come with us?” “Where?” Mary replied. “Does it matter?” the Lord answered. “Yes,” she said, “I go where I want… I am free.” Looking directly into her eyes, Jesus said: “You’re not free… but you could be.” Hesitating as Jesus continued to walk, Mary called out: “That woman… You treated her as if she is worth something.” “So are you…” He replied. “Come, follow Me.”

Many have been intrigued with Mary from Magdala over the years. Though the Bible does not say, some have supposed she was a prostitute in Galilee. Scripture does reveal that Jesus cast seven demons out of her… and we know she did faithfully follow the Master.

Whatever Mary’s back story, I imagine her experiences were similar to those in our broken world: hidden abuse, poor choices, addiction, shame, loneliness, self-rejection… Our Savior does not shy away from such obstacles. He understands perfectly; He fears no evil; and He possesses all authority.

Knowing His purpose to seek and save the lost, Jesus possesses the pure heart of His Father. “I see you and I love you. I am the Answer to your self-doubt and self-loathing. I am the Way and I am choosing you to be Mine. Look into My eyes; listen to My voice; trust Me.”

Read afresh the Gospels and notice the Savior’s passion for people. He forgives; He heals; He delivers; He exposes the devil’s lies; He restores; He loves. Because of sin we’ve all been separated from the Lover of our souls, but Jesus reconciles us to God. “My Father is the One who created you, who loves you, and who has given His most precious gift to redeem you. Relinquish your pride and receive the good news. Believe in God; believe also in Me. I set captives free; I give eternal life. Come, follow Me.”

“You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.” Acts 10:37-38

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” II Corinthians 5:14-21

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see Him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed Him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:1-10)

This salvation story began with a ‘look’. Then Jesus expressed the intent to visit an unpopular man, knowing full well He would be criticized… it had happened before.

At another tax collector’s house (Levi’s), the religious asked: “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-32)

Jesus ‘looked’ at His accusers too. Such critics were also in need of His fellowship so He spoke words intended to jolt them out of their false security. Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.” (Luke 20:17-18)

When Jesus looks at me, I hope He sees one looking for Him. And I pray I’ll have the humility to receive His message and respond with joy… like Zacchaeus.

When I look at others, I want to see what Jesus sees: a man, woman, boy, or girl who God created and loves. Every person has a story… and every person needs our Savior.

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer — at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. (Acts 3:1-8)

Susan and I drove to Foley, Alabama this past weekend to visit John’s family and to watch him play football. This is the second year he has lived with his mom Terri, her husband Daniel, and his younger sister Leesa. We speak with him regularly and he seems to have adjusted well to small town life near the Gulf coast.

Saturday we planned to take John to breakfast before we headed back to Atlanta. He asked if his friend Isaiah could join us, as he spent the night with John after the game. Of course we agreed and marveled at the appetites of two high school boys.

I smiled as John introduced me to his friend: “Dana was a coach… He coached Sherill Baker; she played basketball for the University of Georgia and in the WNBA. Dana is also a pastor…”

Susan thought John might have been warning his friend to be on good behavior, but I didn’t think so. Isaiah seemed like the type of companion you want your kids to have. He is on the quiet side, very respectful, and extremely kind. I think John has a fine friend.

“We have found the One the prophets spoke about… you’ve got to meet Him!” Introductions can be important. Andrew introduced his brother to Jesus and Philip introduced a friend. Their lives were never the same.

Perhaps we can do the same… “Jesus has done miracles in my life. He walks with me day by day and teaches me to be like Him. He is the Answer to the chaos in this world and soon every person will acknowledge Him as King. I hope you’ll get to know Him as Savior, Lord, and Friend. When you see how much He loves you… you’ll want to love Him back.”

“The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter). The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathaniel and told him, ‘We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ ‘Nazareth! Can any good come from there?’ Nathaniel asked. ‘Come and see,’ said Philip.” John 1:41-46