Grace for the Lost and the Found

"Do you think that you love people the way that Jesus does? Do you see them with the same eyes that God sees them with? If the answer is no, then you aren't truly welcoming. You aren't truly loving. And that, loved ones, dishonors God. 
God's acceptance of people doesn't have to be explained. He owes us no explanation. He is God and we are not. He doesn't owe us understanding.
But we owe him everything, including loving his people. Loving his people who have accepted him and loving his people who haven't yet."

There’s something powerful about recognizing how grace works—not just when someone returns after a long absence, but also when we’ve been standing nearby all along. Sometimes, the deeper challenge isn’t finding our way back to God, but realizing how much we still need Him even when we think we’ve been doing everything right. Resentment can quietly creep in when we feel overlooked or unappreciated, especially if we believe we've followed the rules. But grace doesn’t keep score. It isn’t earned or measured. It’s poured out, freely and fully, even when we struggle to celebrate someone else's restoration.

We’re often tempted to decide who’s worthy of welcome, especially when someone doesn’t look, act, or worship the way we think they should. But that’s not our job. God’s love isn’t limited to those who fit our standards or follow our traditions. His acceptance doesn’t need our permission, and His grace isn’t filtered through our expectations. When we withhold joy or sit in judgment, we risk dishonoring the very heart of God—who runs to meet the hurting, restores the broken, and invites everyone into the celebration.

The real invitation is to step off the porch and into the party. Whether we’re coming home or learning how to welcome someone else, the call is the same: rejoice in the goodness of God. Let go of comparison. Let go of entitlement. And make room at the table. Grace is meant to be shared—not hoarded, not measured, not withheld. There’s more than enough for everyone.