International (MNN) — A hardened heart doesn’t happen all at once — it often begins subtly. When people stop seeing others through God’s perspective, prejudice can quietly take root.
That shift, says Ron Hutchcraft of Hutchcraft Ministries, puts someone in a spiritually dangerous place: “When your heart starts to turn cold toward any people and hard, you are entering into a spiritual danger zone.”
It’s common for people to sort others into categories — by nationality, religion, or appearance. These labels are often shaped by distorted narratives or difficult personal experiences. But this tendency isn’t new. Jesus Himself warned about the consequences of a broken world, saying that as lawlessness increases, “He said the hearts of many will turn cold,” says Hutchcraft.
Photo courtesy of Luis Georg Müller via Unsplash
For believers, the risk is especially significant. Making quick judgments based on limited understanding doesn’t just harm relationships — it can obstruct the message of the Gospel.
But there is a different way forward — one that restores clarity and compassion. Hutchcraft points back to God’s perspective: “Let’s think about what our Creator sees. He doesn’t see categories. He sees, first of all, individuals made in His image.”
That truth reframes everything. Scripture consistently shows that Jesus came for individuals, not groups. His ministry reflected this in the people He chose to follow Him — tax collectors, zealots, and others from vastly different social, political, and educational backgrounds.
Despite their differences, they were unified in something greater. As Hutchcraft explains, “They are disciples of Jesus Christ, and those differences, those categories, apparently don’t matter. It is submerged into a new identity.”
And that identity carries profound worth.
“God sees people He considered so valuable that each one was worth the life of His own Son,” says Hutchcraft.
The challenge for believers today is to adopt that same lens — to see individuals, not categories, and to let that perspective shape their role in the Great Commission.
Pray that God’s view of people will guide and transform the hearts of those sharing the Gospel.
Visit Hutchcraft Ministries to learn more about sharing the Gospel effectively.
Header photo: People walk (Photo courtesy of Ryoji Iwata via Unsplash).
