A mother showed up at my village house one day with her young son, who was about 8 years old. The boy was screaming. His right hand was severely scalded. A large blister was covering his hand. I immediately asked, how did this happen? Now the story behind the story.
It was a few days before Nowruz, which is New Year’s Day, for Persians. It comes around March 21st on their calendar. The villagers celebrate this day the best they know how.
At Nowruz, the village men manage to set aside a small amount of money to buy candy to pass around to others in the village. Well, here is where being created in the image of God and being born with a sin nature collide.
This couple’s young son found the candy and “stole” it from his dad, a sinful act. He did not eat it himself but shared it with all his young friends, a generous act. When his dad discovered the missing candy, he became enraged and poured boiling water over his son’s hand as punishment, an evil act.
Our God is a generous God, but sin can so overtake our souls that His image becomes invisible. We become capable of doing awful things. The experience that day made me realize how desperately people need Jesus.
I recently came across this statement. “If you and I won’t win them who will?”
“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47NIV
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