By Pastor Harold Warner

Jesus taught us that there would be “joy in heaven over one sinner that repents.”

This is not a subtle hint, but a straightforward insight into what is truly important and valuable in heaven: a soul that repents and is saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

By way of contrast, we hear a lot of talk about heaven’s streets of gold as one of the things we’re looking forward to. I’m sure this speaks of the overall magnificence of heaven, but, remember: it’s still just pavement!

We must look through the eyes of heaven to see what God considers most valuable, and this perspective is the theme of the old poem, The Touch of the Master’s Hand.

Read it here again:

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

It was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
Hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good people," he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar; Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars; Who makes it three?"

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
”Going for three…" But, No.
From the room far back a gray-bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow.

Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its bow.

"One thousand, one thousand; Do I hear two?"
”Two thousand; Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
 “Going and gone," said he.

The audience cheered, But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand.
”What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:
"The Touch of the Master’s Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune
All battered with bourbon and gin
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin.

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game, and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.

– Myra Brooks Welch

The emphasis is mine on the worth of a soul. One of the great contributions of Christianity is to bring us an understanding of the value of human life and the worth of a human soul.

This comes from three sources.

First, from Creation. Human beings are made in the image of God.  This accounts for the cultural debate over the sanctity of human life that still rages in our nation.

Second, from Redemption, which is the apex of understanding. If Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, He settled forever the value of the souls we encounter every day of our lives.

Third, from a new way of assessing people and things. II Corinthians 5:16 tells us “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view.”

We no longer use a worldly measurement – especially an external one – to assess someone’s worth or value.

This should remind us that Christianity is first and foremost a rescue religion.

There is no question that God’s priority and the heartbeat of heaven is for souls.

Jesus called us and said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”

The two go together: following Christ leads to a partnership in His enterprise as well. The religious people were constantly criticizing Him, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them!”

Their criticism was actually a back-handed compliment. Jesus Christ is the supreme example of a soul-winner. He is the consummate soul Physician in the way that He works with people.

After winning the woman at the well to Himself in John chapter 4, He told His disciples: “I have food to eat that you know nothing about!”

They’re wondering whether or not He stopped by McDonald’s or Taco Bell or something.

Jesus had to straighten them out by saying, “My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.”

His “soul food” was all about touching people with the gospel and bringing people to Himself and to God’s salvation!

This is what caused D.L. Moody to say, “I would rather save one soul from death than have a monument of solid gold reaching from my grave to the heavens! I tell you, the monument I want after I am dead and gone is a monument with two legs going about the world – a saved sinner telling of the salvation of Jesus Christ.”

So to finish up, if you’re looking for employment, how about Proverbs 11:3: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

This winning implies a number of things: First, it is a word of burden, or responsibility. Our calling has already been determined for us by the Lord Jesus.

Second, it is a heart word, a word of romance (i.e., as in “he wins her hand”). A love for Christ, for His church, and for souls turns a work into a labor of love.

Finally, it is a military word that speaks of winning a battle or winning a city. In this case it is the fortress of the human heart with all its defenses that must be breached.

The divine appraisal is “he that wins souls is wise.”

That tells us that not only is this a developed skill, but it is truly worthy employment for every Christ-follower.

In choosing something to give your life to, or something to make the aim of your life, it’s hard to find a more noble ambition!

The prophet Daniel put this in the final context of an everlasting reward and inheritance: “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”

Shine on, my brother and my sister, shine on!