She was a pretty girl with a very sweet demeanor. It would have been a labor to dislike her. She was always on time in her seat when class began. She turned in her assignments on time and yet she was one of the poorest students I ever had. Her written work revealed that she just did not get it. As simple as I tried to explain things, all I would get was a sweet smile but no indication that what I said helped. Her quizzes and exams were disasters. When I gave her a final grade of “C” totally based on effort, I wondered if she had gotten that far academically because other profs did the same as I. I wondered, when I closed my grade book, could someone so endearing get her doctorate someday without ever learning anything other than to be nice.
I have to admit when I enter heaven’s gates it will not be because I have learned a lot along the way or for being likeable. It will be a gift because I am loved. There’s the question. Do I have to be loved to be saved? Actually that question is mute because I am – we are. A better question would be do we have to be liked? Will Jesus like everyone He saves? Was the thief on the cross likeable? Were the two mad men from Gergesa (Matthew 8) likeable? I doubt it.
What is wonderful about our God is He doesn’t save any of us because He likes or dislikes us. All of us are saved because He loves us and best of all He knows what we will become. We are bundles of potential likeability.
Written by Roger Bothwell on January 7, 2015
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org