Have you ever encountered somebody that is just hard to get along with? I remember a guy who was a bully through junior high and high school and who I avoided like the plague because it just made me angry being around him. I didn’t wish him harm, I just didn’t want to have anything to do with him and felt sorry for those who did. Fast forward 10 years to our high school reunion… He had changed so much that I honestly didn’t even recognize him.  He had become a Christian, was married and had a kid, and he and his family were preparing to go on the mission field in South America. I was shocked! I sat and talked with him for close to an hour. He started by apologizing for being a jerk when we were in school, and then we started catching up on life for the last decade. He was happy, encouraging, thoughtful, and a joy to be around. I realized that God saw not who he was, but who God knew he could be for the Kingdom.  

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When we think of the word “wicked,” our minds often go to extreme examples—violent criminals, corrupt leaders, or people whose lives are openly destructive. But in the eyes of God, “wicked” isn’t just reserved for the most notorious. It describes anyone living apart from Him, chasing their own way instead of His. That includes neighbors, coworkers, family members—even ourselves before Christ. And here’s the stunning truth in Ezekiel 33:11: God does not delight in punishing the wicked. He’s not eager to bring judgment; He’s eager to bring people home. His heart is not for destruction but for redemption. He wants every person—even the ones furthest from Him—to turn, to live, and to belong. This is a verse about urgency and compassion. God is pleading, “Turn! Turn from your wickedness…why should you die?” The picture here isn’t of a cold judge handing down sentences, but of a grieving Father calling His children back before it’s too late.

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That raises a tough but necessary question for you and me: Do we love the wicked the way God does?

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It’s easy to love people who are like me, who share my values, or who haven’t hurt me deeply. But what about those who reject God openly? What about those who mock faith, live recklessly, or cause harm? God calls you and I to see them not as enemies, but as people He already loves and desperately wants to save. Evangelism, then, is not about winning arguments, checking a box, or growing numbers. It’s about joining God’s “search party”—urgently pursuing those He values, no matter how far they’ve wandered. It’s choosing to see them not through the lens of their sin, but through the lens of God’s mercy.  

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If you’re a believer, this truth should stir your heart to compassion. Every person you meet is someone God longs to rescue. When you look at the “wicked,” do you see someone beyond hope—or someone God hasn’t given up on yet?

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And if you’re not yet a Christian, hear this clearly: God is not waiting for you to clean yourself up before you come to Him. He’s calling you right now, as you are. He values you so much that He sent Jesus to bear the judgment you deserved so that you could live. He’s not asking you to earn His love—He’s asking you to receive it.

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Ezekiel 33:11 reminds us that time is short. People are perishing every day without knowing the God who loves them. The call to “turn” is urgent because eternity is at stake. The mission of outreach and evangelism is urgent because it reflects God’s heart: not one person written off, not one soul forgotten. To love the wicked is not to excuse wickedness. It is to pray, to pursue, and to plead with the same urgency God has: “Turn, so you can live!” It’s to enter into messy lives with the hope of the gospel, trusting that God can transform even the hardest hearts.

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The question for you and me is not whether people deserve God’s love—that’s already settled. The question is whether we will join Him in urgently extending that love to the lost.

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Reflection Questions:

Here are some questions to reflect on as we look at this verse:

• When I hear the word “wicked,” who comes to mind? How does my attitude toward them compare to God’s heart expressed in Ezekiel 33:11?

• What barriers—fear, pride, anger, or apathy—keep me from loving those far from God?

• How would my daily interactions change if I saw every person as someone God is urgently calling back to Himself?

• If you’re not yet a believer, what does it mean to you to hear that God doesn’t take pleasure in your destruction but longs for you to live?

Father, thank You for Your mercy. Thank You that You don’t take pleasure in judgment but rejoice in salvation. Forgive me for the times I’ve been quick to judge or slow to love. Open my eyes to see people the way You do—precious, valuable, and worth pursuing. Give me courage to join You in urgently sharing Your love with those who are far from You. Break my heart for the lost, and help me reflect Your compassion, not just in words but in action. And if I am the one far from You today, help me hear Your call to turn and live. Thank You for the grace You’ve already made available through Jesus. In His name, Amen.