“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'” — Luke 15:1-2
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Hours and hours, over days and days, for weeks and weeks, year after year — you’ve devoted so much of your life to the sport you love. It’s a choice you’ve made. Some would say you’ve missed out on many things that other people experience. You, however, wouldn’t have it any other way — you’re going after your goal.
We make sacrifices for the things we love. When something has great value, we will chase after it, often in ways that other people just wouldn’t, and don’t, understand. This was the case for Jesus, too. In Luke 15, He was being criticized by the religious leaders over the “reckless choices” He was making with His time — spending it with “sinners and tax collectors.” He answered all of this by telling three stories about people who (some would say acted unreasonably) went after something they valued: a sheep, a coin, a son.
The real question is this: What are you running after? What are you sacrificing for? If you attained it, would it be worth it? Your Creator ran after you and gave His first and best to get you. He gave His one and only Son.
No matter what goals you have, may the first one be running after the treasure of greatest value — Jesus.
— Steve Hawthorne, New York Red Bulls chaplain
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