We all have people in our lives we’ve written off—the ones we think are too far gone, too set in their ways, or too different from who they used to be. But here’s what’s striking: even King Herod, one of Scripture’s most notorious villains, listened gladly when John the Baptist spoke truth to him. Despite throwing John in prison, despite his terrible choices, something in Herod still responded to a righteous person speaking into his life.
Who are you overlooking because you “knew them when”? Maybe it’s someone from your past you can’t see beyond their old mistakes. Maybe it’s someone whose transformation you’re dismissing because you remember who they were before God got hold of them.
The reality is this: we’re all capable of change, and we all need people doing life alongside us. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two—not because they lacked power, but because we’re not meant to go through life alone. We need travel buddies, people who know our struggles and celebrate our victories.
So don’t give up on that “long shot” person in your life. Don’t let emotions—even positive ones—drive your decisions instead of wisdom and Scripture. And don’t go it alone. Find your people, invest in relationships, and remember that God’s still working in places we’d never expect.