Love the Sinner

By his own evaluation, Jon had done well at looking past personality and performance to seeing a real person. Mac, the transient at Denny's, was Exhibit A in his most recent self-evaluation. Didn't I engage him in conversation and buy him a hot meal while everyone else in the restaurant ignored him? Didn't I show the love of Christ to him without judging his lifestyle? Haven't I done this repeatedly for people like Mac?

In the last couple of weeks Jon had realized something: Unconscionable thugs like Eugene Hackett made it difficult to look past the sin to love the sinner. Jon's attitude toward the Eugenes of the world was anything but respectful.

Jon countered Eugene's evil glare with a smile. He said, "Thank God you did miss, Eugene. Good-bye and good luck." Then he left the jail. He wondered how Stevie would respond when he told her what happened at the jail. Would she be impressed at his Christian attitude? Or would she berate him for befriending the man who had almost killed her and Collin? Unsure of the answer, Jon thought it best, at least for the time being, not to say anything to her about Eugene Hackett.