“My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)

This week at Sunday school we got into an interesting discussion about the heroes we read about who put themselves in danger to save someone else (most notably someone that they didn’t even know). The stories surface every now and then, giving us all a little reassurance on the state of the human race. These are the people who run into burning buildings because they saw someone in the upstairs window. Or when someone jumps into freezing water to save a child that fell through the ice. These stories are both heartwarming and a testament to the reflection of God’s love found in each of us. That is to say, we have been designed with such a capacity for love that a complete stranger would feel compelled to act when they see someone’s life in danger. Now we all have certain fears that might stop us in our tracks. For some, jumping into the open ocean would simply be unfathomable. For others it might be a burning building or climbing to great heights that gives them pause. But the argument I want to make is this; in spite of our own fear, I believe that our first instinct is to react when we know someone’s life is in danger. And based on that assertion; if we truly feel that we would do the equivalent of “running into a burning building” to save someone, why wouldn’t we feel equally compelled to save someone from an eternity in hell? For some reason, a person stuck in a burning building almost mandates our assistance. Yet someone stuck in their own sin may get the cold shoulder. Today, may we all look at these verses and remember that everyone, even those lost in their sinful wandering is worth saving.