Why should the ‘watchman’ in Ezekiel (33:7-9) care about the wicked? Is it no longer enough for one to just obey God and have one’s peace? Well, one thing with double consequences is involved here. That one thing is salvation, of both the wicked and the just ‘watchman’. God does not want the death of the wicked and wants to sufficiently provide him or her with the opportunity to reverse his or her ways and live. This is where the task of the ‘watchman’ comes in. His or her job is to get the message of repentance to reach the wicked because his/her own life or salvation is tied to that of the wicked. If the word of God is not delivered and the wicked dies, then the ‘watchman’ is in trouble. But something interesting happens here too. God is leading the ‘watchman’ on a training – training on how to love, to care for the soul of the other, to be patient and endure and forgive the wicked. God is taking the ‘watchman’ through an experience of life, where he/she gets involved in the life of the other for the good of the other and of self. This is an important lesson that is fast eluding the world today. The lesson is to be learnt in love and not in the sheer brutal and often judgmental attitude of those who consider themselves righteous before God. Remember, God is the one in-charge here – the ‘watchman’ is but a messenger.

God bless you!