Jer 50:6

"My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; They have forgotten their resting place" Jer 50:6

It is interesting to watch people. Have you ever sat in the mall and just watched? There are those (like me) who know where they are going and what they are looking for. These people are moving along at a near run heading to their destination. Then there are those who are just not in a big hurry. Perhaps the air conditioner is broken at home and it is cooler in the mall (after all we are having a hot spell right now). Perhaps the children are with the helper and they want to stay away as long as possible. What ever the reason, they are wandering the halls looking right and left to see what they can see in the windows. When they enter a store, they float from department to department looking this way and that. On occasion they find something and buy it, but it is the experience of shopping they enjoy the most.

Another group of individuals also inhabit the malls. These are people that have no idea where they are, what they are looking for, or where to find it. They are the "Lost Mall Walkers." If you find yourself behind one of these individuals, you may be trapped in the slow lane for many feet. Just when you see a means to pass them and accelerate to pull beside their wandering group, they turn quickly in front of you to see if what they want is on the other side of the mall. You screech to a halt to avoid inflicting pain on them or yourself. Once again you fall behind and mutter under your breath!

While this latter group is interesting in the mall, they are dangerous on the streets. These are the drivers who turn right from the left turn lane. They never use turn signals. They wander from lane to lane drifting in the direction they happen to be looking at the moment. You never know what they are going to do. It is impossible to predict the outcome of an encounter with them. They cause more accidents and never seem to be involved in one themselves. They honestly believe they are GOOD DRIVERS!

There is something that is even more dangerous than a lost driver. The lost Christian! Before you Baptists shoot off an e-mail asking to be removed from my friends' list, let me explain. A lost Christian is the one who floats from church to church looking for the perfect preacher/teacher. They are not concerned about doctrine, they are interested in how they feel. If a preacher makes them feel good, they stick around for a while. If someone offends their tender sensibilities, they storm off to the next congregation.

The danger of this is that they never go quietly. They are the first to criticize, and the last to tithe. They offer no hesitation to tell everyone within shouting distance how crude and insensitive the folk at ABC Church are. What's more, in doing so, they often keep people from finding the love and mercy they so desperately need.

Should you know people like this, watch out when you pass them! But, even more importantly, do what you can to love them. It could be that you will be the one who helps them find their way to the foot of the cross. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.