REDEEMING THE RAG, TAG AND BOBTAIL
Luke 19:10 "...the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
In the 3rd-century, a skeptic named Celsus made fun of Origen (a Christian leader of day) "When most teachers go forth to teach, they cry, ’Come to me, you who are clean and worthy,’ and they are followed by the highest caliber of people available. But your silly master cries, ’Come to me, you who are down and beaten by life,’ and so he accumulates around him the rag, tag and bobtail of humanity."
And Origen replied: "Yes, they are the rag, tag and bobtail of humanity. But Jesus does not leave them that way. Out of material you would have thrown away as useless, he fashions men, giving them back their self-respect, enabling them to stand on their feet and look God in the eyes. They were cowed, cringing, broken things. But the Son has set them free."
That’s our goal - our objective - to rescue the cowed cringing, broken things of society.
(From a sermon by Jeff Strite, Stewardship of a “Patchless” Life, 1/3/2010)