On A Mission

Most Christians are familiar with the name D.L. Moody. He was a famous preacher and evangelist in the 1800s who also started the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers. Today people are still trained in his schools and read books published through his organization. Before Moody came to Christ he was making good money in the shoe business, but all that changed one day in his shoe store. 

A man by the name of Edward Kimball, a Sunday school teacher at the local church, went in to talk with young Moody. D.L. had recently visited his Sunday school class, and Kimball wanted to follow up. That day in the shoe store Kimball put a hand on Moody’s shoulder as he told him that the wages of sin is death, and he begged the shoe salesman to repent and trust in Christ. Kimball even shed tears as he pleaded with Moody. Years later Moody confessed that he could not remember all the words that Kimball spoke that day, but he said, “I can still feel his hand on my shoulder.” It struck Moody that, although he had never shed a single tear over his own sin, this man was so compassionate that he was weeping over Moody’s. 

Part of what makes that such a good story is that Kimball wasn’t out looking for shoes and he happened to bump into Moody. He knew that was Moody’s store, and he left his house with one thing in mind, and that was to talk to that young man about his sin. He left his house and ended up at the shoe store on purpose. That reminds me of Jesus, who said of Himself, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save those who were lost (Luke 19:10).”

Jesus came to earth on purpose, with one thing in mind, and that was to save sinners from their sin. He didn’t just so happen to be on earth and bump into sinners; we are the very reason He left His home in heaven. He was motivated by compassion and love for us. He had no desire to be in heaven without us, so He came to earth on a rescue mission. If you ever question the love that God has for you, look no further than that old rugged cross on that hill far away, for it was there God’s love was demonstrated (Romans 5:8). His death was no accident, and His life wasn’t taken from Him. He willingly laid it down in obedience to the Father in order that sinners might be saved. 

As believers, we should follow the example of Jesus and Kimball and intentionally take the Gospel message to those who need to hear it.