The Madness of Hope

You Can't Save Them All

In 2006, while living in Honduras, I spent every Tuesday driving to a small coastal town called Omoa, where I went there to hang out with the girls at an Orphanage.
All along the road, coming and going, were people standing along the sides of the road holding up turtles. This was especially true close to Semana Santa (the week before Easter). Turtle was a traditional Easter meal there.
My bodyguards would pull over to the side of the road and negotiate the price. If they came down to a price I was willing to pay, we would hand out the lemperas and cart the turtle back to live a life of luxury in my garden.
Loving turtles, I hated to see them being sold to eat. At the beginning, I wanted them all. I soon realized that one could only bring so many turtles home. That meant I could not save them all.
I face the same dilemma when visiting our local animal shelter, which is a kill shelter. I can only save so many cats and dogs as well.
I can’t help but think of people when I think of my turtles in Honduras and my cats and dogs here. We can pray, preach, lead bible studies, build relationships, and witness; but we cannot save them all.
It hurts when those we love and those we invest in refuse to accept the saving grace of God. While, in reality we cannot save anyone, Christ can. For, God loved the world so much that He gave his Son, so that anyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. (John 3:16) He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
It all boils down to free will. Sometimes I wish there was no free will. I wish He made us all with a desire to love Him and serve Him. For, it would be so much easier knowing all would be saved.
I guess, we just have to settle for helping to bring as many to salvation as we can.
(In the meantime: your local animal shelter is full of wonderful furry critters for you to save.)