The third and finally aspect for being a leader is having a heart for the lost. Have you ever lost something that was so important to you in your life? Have you ever lost a family member or a loved one that you truly miss all the time? Sometimes a family would walk into walmart or target and would shop around until they got everything on their list that they needed. All of sudden their son or daughter would wonder off somewhere and they would be lost. The parents would constantly be looking all around the store trying to find their own child. If they couldn't find them on their own, they would usually get help from other people or even over the intercom saying "Alex or Rachel please come to the front of the store, your parents are looking for you." We can all relate to this same situtation as the family representing the Church, the lost son or daughter being a lost soul in the world, and the intercom being God calling for the lost to come to him. In Matthew 9: 35-36 it says, "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like a sheep without a shepherd." The reason Jesus felt compassion for them is because he felt sorry because they had not heard the gospel preach to them. Jesus was never too busy for a lost soul. Sometimes we are always so busy or so distracted by the worldly things that is upon us and we dont even notice that their is a lost soul. We see many sheep without sheperds to guide them and to teach them the way, the truth, and the life. As Christian leaders, we need to remember our Saviors' heart on how he acted towards the crowd. This means we need to pray and allow our hearts to be broken over those souls who are lost. We need to start getting out of our comfort zone and reaching out to the lost so they can be a part of God's family. In Luke 15, we see three different stories about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. All of these stories have the same theme that is hidden in each of these texts. One of you found your lost sheep, the women found her lost silver coin, and the father found his lost son. Everything these people lost they found what they needed and what they were searching. When the people found what they were looking for, they rejoiced because it was lost and now it is found. This is how we need to act when we seek a lost soul that has been found. We need to be rejoicing with all of our hearts and lifting our voices to God.
On June 10, 2005 there would be a missing part of our family chain that would never be repaired. My father had sudden past away and I would never be the same. Ever since he had past, I didnt know what to do in my life or how I was going to get past this horrible nightmare. I was attending this church called North MacArthur church of Christ, when a guy named Steve Minor put a bible in my hands one day. Me and my mom have been studying the word and learning what God wants from us all. On December 16, 2008 I was baptized into Christ for the remission of my sins. As I kept studying his word through my daily walk with God, I asked myself "Why did a loving and caring God take away my father?" I had study this subject so much that I believe this is the reason. The reason that God took my dad away, is because he wanted me to know who he really is and to know that he exist. When I was living in Texas, I didnt grow up in a christian home. I didnt know anything about the bible. In my life I didnt know I was lost but now Im found, I was blind but now I can see, I was sick but now I am healthy, I was poor but now I'm rich, and I was dead but now I'm alive. I was just like that lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son until my Heavenly Father found me when I needed him. I want to challenge and encourage everyone who reads this post today to have a heart for the lost. If Jesus can have compassion on those who have not heard the gospel yet, why can't we show them mercy? Ask yourself this question, "What hard thing can I do today that will have an eternal impact for the sake of the gospel?" We need leaders who have a forgiving heart, a passionate heart, and a heart for the lost so that we may be able to lead from the inside out.
