Two men came into the hospital, both with the same symptoms. The doctors looked at the men, and determined that they had both been poisoned.

Now, this poison was rare, and the hospital had only enough antidote for one man, with no means of getting more. So the doctors now faced a tough decision – who should be saved?

“Save this man,” said the first doctor, pointing to the man on the left. “He is a good man, a pillar of his community. That other man is a thief and a gang member; I recognize him from police broadcasts.”

“Save this man,” said the second doctor, also pointing to the man on the left. “He attends my church; he is a devout believer who has always followed the laws of our Lord. This other man is not a Christian; in fact, I have seen him vandalize church buildings and have heard him curse good believers.”

“Save this man,” said the third doctor, also pointing to the man on the left. “He has a good wife, and children that he has raised to be upright and moral. This other man has no family; he uses and abuses women at his whim. He is violent and immoral; why should we waste our only dose of antidote on him?”

Then Jesus walked forward. “Give me the antidote,” he said.

The doctors gave him the antidote, confident that he would make the right decision.

And Jesus went over to the man on the right and gave him the antidote, turning to watch with sad eyes as the man on the left died.

“Why did you do that?” asked the doctors. “He is not a Christian. He is evil, immoral – a violent criminal. The other man was a good man. Why did you not save him?”

And Jesus answered, “You are right. The man who died was all you said, and the man who lives is also as you said. But the man who died is now in heaven; his place was guaranteed by his belief in me.

“This man, on the other hand, is still in need of saving. I gave him the antidote so that he would live longer, and hopefully, someone will help him live into eternity.

“The Father wants none of his children to die; so, why do you save those who have no need of it? Instead, save those who need it most.”