August 29, 2024

           Change Begins with You

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,

Nor his ear too dull to hear.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;

Your sins have hidden his face from you,

so that he will not hear.

For your hands are stained with blood,

your fingers with guilt.

Your lips have spoken falsely,

and your tongue mutters wicked things.

– Isaiah 59:1-3

We pray for our nation to turn back to Him. We pray that God will remember us and once again bless our land. We pray that He will deliver us from the evil forces that threaten our values. We expect God to save us from ourselves.

We are quick to point out the sins of others. We are certain that our sins, few that they might be, are not keeping our nation from prosperity and God’s favor. Our ways are good. Our walk is certain. Except it isn’t.

We have failed to provide for the least among us. We demand anyone in need jump through hoops we’ve created so that they may prove themselves worthy. We hold close to our money and possessions. We’ve worked hard to provide for ourselves and our families and we are certain that anyone in need must be lazy or on drugs.

We have judged what is not ours to judge. We have turned away from the needy, the poor, the abused. We have failed to care for the elderly, the widow and the orphan. We have demanded blessings for ourselves without thought or care for anyone else.

We live in a self-indulgent society with little care for anyone else. Money has become our god. It’s second only to the god of ourselves. We wonder where God is in our nation. We fail to see the stain on our own hands even as we point our fingers to those we see as godless.

What can we do to turn our nation back to the God we proclaim? Change begins with each individual. It’s not a sweeping national election or even a local food bank or church. Change begins when each person who proclaims Christ as Lord and Savior actually begins to live as Jesus lived.

Do you want our nation to change? Then do your part. Be kind. Show compassion. Give where you can without judgment or reservation. Be humble. Put others before yourself. Love your enemies. Pray fervently and never fail to listen to the Holy Spirit as He directs you.

God can heal our land. But first let’s show Him that we are willing to serve His people and not our own agendas.

June 28, 2018

What Do You Hear?

Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

– Matthew 16:12

What do you believe? If you only believe what lines up with your opinions, then maybe you need to step back and reconsider what the Bible really says.

We are a people who pull out Scripture verses to align with what we think, with what benefits us, with what feels comfortable. So, we demand that God give us everything we ask for in faith, while we refuse to associate with people we don’t deem worthy.

We’re missing the point. We don’t seem to understand the lessons directed at us. We demand that the government save the unborn babies (a good thing!) all the while condemning the poor as lazy and beneath us. We don’t know their stories but that doesn’t stop us from judging.

The Bible tells us to care for widows and orphans but we shake our heads no. That’s something families should do. And if the families don’t do as they should, well, that’s someone else’s problem. It’s what we believe except that’s not what the Bible says.

The Bible tells us to share so we demand things from others and condemn them if they don’t turn over whatever it is we want. Then we guard closely our money and our time, refusing to share either. We expect much from others but so very little from ourselves.

We pray as we feel led. We urge God to change hearts to align with our expectations. We tell God what He needs to do to make us happy and successful and, thus, better servants of His. We expect God to line up before us to bestow favors we don’t deserve because, after all, we belong to Him.

We believe that talking about hard work means we really do work hard. We expect that those who have less material things must be too lazy to acquire them. Or, maybe, they just make bad financial decisions. We don’t consider what an illness can do to a family budget. We don’t think about the privileges we have through no effort of our own.

We believe everything we hear on television if it lines up with what we want to believe. We get angry with anyone who disagrees with us. We are defensive when someone questions our opinions and points out that what we’re saying really isn’t from the Bible.

My grandmother swore the Bible said people of other races were inferior to whites. She never could find that passage in the Bible though I asked her to show me. The reason she couldn’t find it? It’s not there. That’s true of many things we believe. When we’re questioned about it, we either can’t find it in the Bible or we realize we’ve taken the words out of context.

We Christians are imploding because of our hatred and judgment of those whom we share faith in Jesus but not much else. We don’t want to work together, to love, to learn how to get along and have civilized conversations when we disagree. We’re too busy pointing fingers to realize we need to get the plank out of our own eye before we go after the splinter in the eye of someone else.

Be wary of those who preach the gospel with selfish intent. Be careful to study the Scriptures for yourself and ask God to open your heart to hear His voice. Not everyone who says they’re of God actually preaches His Word. If someone always tells you exactly what you want to hear, speaking words that line up always with your views, maybe you’re listening to the wrong person.

January 19, 2018

Love and Care For the Poor

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. – Proverbs 29:7

It happened again. She was sneering at someone struggling financially. Her retort, “She needs to get a job.” Well, yeah. She’s tried. And she’s still trying.

It’s not the first time I’ve heard her make the ugly comment about someone. Male or female. Young or old. It doesn’t matter. She looks down on anyone who is poor. Sadly, though not surprising, she doesn’t have a job of her own. It’s nice when you go from your Daddy’s house to your husband’s without ever having to work to support yourself. It gives you plenty of time to judge others.

I think she’d be shocked by this proverb. She is a woman of deep faith. Really. She is. But like so many people who loudly proclaim their conservative agenda, she’s quite choosy about which passages of her Bible she holds close.

Yes, we are to work. God’s word makes that clear. But we are also to show kindness and compassion to those who are poor. And we are not to judge. Honestly, we usually don’t have a clue about what’s going on in someone else’s life.

The hard truth is that there are people in our country who work two and three jobs to support themselves and their families. Housing, food, insurance. That doesn’t even touch on clothing, school supplies, car maintenance or transportation costs. Throw in an illness or two and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

Who takes care of the poor? Who helps get job training? Who provides the helping hand? Can you hear it? Yes. That’s the chorus of conservative Christians blasting away at the government handouts. What are they doing to “fix” the problem? Well, nothing that will actually cause them to get their hands dirty.

Are there people who take advantage of the system? Of course there are. But there are many, many good people who are struggling to make it on their own. They just need help for a time.

In a perfect world, the churches – that means you and me – would step up and provide that helping hand. But we’re so busy condemning and judging that we can’t give help.

Well, except for a program in a nearby town. They meet once a week in a local church. The mentors, men and women of different faiths, and those they are hoping to guide to a different life. It isn’t about lectures or classes. It’s about friendship and guidance. They are helping people take a different path, make better choices, envision a life that once seemed impossible.

Are they changing the world? No. But they are changing one person at a time and that ripple goes out farther than any of us could ever imagine.

It is just so easy to condemn the poor without ever trying to understand or offer personal help. That goes again everything the Bible teaches us.

January 18, 2018

Rid Yourself of Double Standards

The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. – Proverbs 20:23

He snarls at me in disdain. Venom drips from a mouth that usually smiles as insincerely as his words. He has judged me and found me guilty. It infuriates him that I won’t confess my “sin.”

I shake my head and walk away. No matter how many lies he’s heard and told, those lies don’t become truth. My conscious is clear. I am not perfect. No way. But I did not do this vile thing he’s determined to blame on me.

I consider his own life as I walk away. It is in shambles. His dishonesty and venom have finally poisoned those closest to him. They have moved away, deciding that distance is better than the drama and turmoil that is a constant in his life.

It is easier to judge me and a situation that is really none of his business than to look in the mirror and judge himself. Do you know someone like that? Have you encountered someone determined to condemn you while making excuses for their own disasters?

Maybe you’ve been that person. It sure is easier to see the speck in someone else’s eye than to see the plank in our own. (Matthew 7:3) We make excuses for our own conduct while condemning someone else.

Another woman speaks highly of trust. She just can’t have a relationship with someone she can’t trust. I hold my tongue – barely. She is one of the least trustworthy people I know. She is a backstabber and a liar. She manipulates people for her own purposes. Yet she gets angry if someone else doesn’t behave as she things they should. She is blind to her own double standards.

It’s just so easy to judge others with a different measuring stick than the one we judge ourselves with.

We hate lies but we told one today rather than admit to our friend that we went on an adventure without them. We can’t abide excuses yet that’s just what we offer up when we fail to do what we’ve promised our kids we would do. We preach a sermon to anyone who will listen but we don’t live our own lives with integrity.

None of us are perfect. None of us have all the answers. And not one of us truly knows the heart of another person. It doesn’t stop us from judging.

The next time you’re inclined to condemn someone else, take a moment to look in the mirror. What do you see? A flawed person who has made his share of mistakes. Close your mouth and ask God for forgiveness for the double standard that lives in your heart.

April 11, 2016

Sin Reveals Itself

David burned with anger against the man. “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this certainly deserves to die! 6 And he must pay back four times the price of the lamb because he did this and had no pity.”

7 “You are the man!” Nathan told David. -- 2 Samuel 12:5-7a

The prophet Nathan was wise. He didn’t confront King David directly. Instead he told a story about a poor man and his little lamb. It was heart wrenching how the rich man stole the poor man’s little lamb.

David was furious and vowed to punish the man -- until Nathan told David he was the man. David had stolen another man’s wife. He had sinned against the Lord.

It’s funny how clearly we can see the sin in another’s life and how blind we are to the same sin in our own lives. There’s a belief that the sins we see so clearly in others are the very sins we are trying to deny in our own lives. There’s a lot of truth in that.

Don’t you just hate it when others try to fix you? We’ve probably all been on the receiving end of that. It doesn’t feel good, does it?

To be fair, we’ve also all probably tried to fix someone else at some point as well. It didn’t work, did it? We can’t fix anyone, anymore than they can fix us. If we even need fixing.

That’s the thing about outside judgments. We really don’t have a clue. We don’t. We tell others what they should do. We confront them “for their own good,” we tell ourselves. If they would just change, everything would be find. We know it would. We get angry when they won’t comply.

Here’s the thing: Nobody owes you an explanation. They don’t. Just like you don’t owe anyone else an explanation for how you behave. None of us are perfect. And nobody has the right to tell someone else to “get over” something or to “admit” what they’ve done is wrong.

If you’re having that conversation with someone, look in the mirror. The person you need to be preaching to is yourself. If someone is having that conversation with you, realize that it isn’t about you. It’s about them and their issues.

Again, no one is perfect. If I’m confronted, I take it to God and ask Him to search me. If there’s truth in it, I ask for forgiveness and direction. If there’s no truth, I let it go.

Don’t let someone else push their issues and their opinions on you. Just don’t. Walk away. They aren’t going to hear anything you say anyway. God will take care of it. Every time.

February 16, 2016

Arrogant Pride Wrongly Judges

16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.

-- Proverbs 6:16-19

In the aftermath of trouble, there are always going to be people who criticize what was or wasn’t done. Surely her sons could have done something sooner? Why in the world won’t one of her five children take her into their home? How can that mother not manage her own children? Why won’t she lose weight or get a better job?

It’s always somebody else’s fault and the person complaining could surely have figured out a better way.

Our pastor began a sermon serious today on this passage of Scripture. He focused on “haughty eyes,” that arrogant pride that makes us believe we know better than anyone else.

It is ever so easy to judge from the outside, without knowing the facts. And, honestly, if you weren’t there, if you weren’t privy to the inside conversations and the heart wrenching decisions, then you don’t get to judge. But we do. Again and again we do.

Pastor Danny noted that folks can always find a better way to run the service, whether it’s music, sound or lighting. We have that critical spirit inside of us that lets us think it’s okay to comment (even to ourselves) about someone’s weight, dress, or hair style. It isn’t okay. It isn’t funny. And it certainly doesn’t make us into better people. Just the opposite, in fact.

Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall. -- Proverbs 16:18

When we are haughty, we are filled with pride and arrogance. We think we know best and really we don’t have a clue. Sooner or later the truth always wins out and we are headed for a fall.

When we are willing to walk in someone else’s shoes, then we have a voice. But until we put those shoes on, we need to keep our opinions to ourselves and support those who are in the trenches doing what needs to be done.

　

January 25, 2016

Who Do You Want God To Love?

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. -- Jonah 4:1-2

We all know the story of Jonah. He was a prophet who fled the calling of the LORD rather than preach to the people of Ninevah. Why? Because he knew they would repent and God would forgive them. Which is exactly what happened.

Why don’t we always share the gospel with everyone we know? Why do we tend to keep it to people who are “like” us? Are we trying -- in a passive aggressive kind of way -- to determine who ends up in heaven and who doesn’t?

Maybe you haven’t thought about it quite that way. It’s just uncomfortable to talk to people who aren’t exactly like us. We’d rather stay within our church building boundaries and focus on the people we know. Except they probably aren’t the ones who need Jesus the most because, hopefully, they already known Him.

Jonah didn’t think the people of Ninevah deserved to be forgiven. Do any of us? Really? The sentence for sin is death. It is only the blood of Jesus and our belief in Him that saves any of us. Who are we to say that we somehow in our sin are more worthy of salvation that someone else? But isn’t that what we do every time we turn away from someone who needs to hear about Jesus?

Would you share God’s love with someone who worked in a bar and got drunk every night? Would you share God’s love with someone in prison? Would you share God’s love with an unwed mother? Would you share God’s love with someone who has never held a “real” job? I could go on and on.

We are so quick to judge; not so quick to forgive. Yet God wants everyone -- regardless of their type of sin -- to come to know Jesus and be saved. In Jonah’s day the Jewish people didn’t want the Gentiles to know God. I am so very thankful that God had a different plan. How about you?

January 10, 2016

Choose To Do Good

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. -- Galatians 6:7-10

“A man reaps what he sows.” How many times have you heard that phrase thrown out? It usually comes when someone (maybe us?) is judging someone else and that person is getting what we believe he deserves. We forget that others could say the same of us.

It’s what happens when we lose focus on what’s really important in life. It’s what happens when we forget about mercy and kindness and love.

Who has never made a mistake? No one. Just Jesus. That’s it. But we like to categorize things. We value ourselves more than others and we show that by cutting them down in a vain effort to build ourselves up.

We become that proud couple bragging on their new son-in-law. They go on and on about his money as though it’s really important. Does he know Jesus? Does he attend church? Volunteer? Is he kind? Compassionate? None of that seems to matter. It’s his bank account they look at. They are not alone.

“God cannot be mocked.” That phrase keeps echoing in my mind. It always seems to come back to the heart. What does your heart tell you? Do you choose to gossip and spread lies and put others down? Or do you choose to do good despite the costs? God knows. You can’t hide your heart from Him.

We all reap what we sow. Choose to sow kindness and compassion. Choose to sow God’s love in this dark, dark, world. Choose to do good despite the costs.

March 1, 2015

Your Judgment Is Showing

 

When they key on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." -- John 8:7

What does judgment look like? We think of a jury rendering judgment at a trial. We cringe at the thought of God judging us. But we don't consider too much how we judge others.

Seriously. We don't even think about it. Judging others comes naturally, like the sin that happens everyday. Oh, I know. You're a pretty good person. You are still a sinner. So I am. We're human. We're living in a fallen world.

That's not an excuse. Nor does it make judging others right. It's the subtle judgments that seem to hurt the most. "I can't believe she's wearing that!" "What was he thinking taking up with the likes of her?" "She'd better be grateful for anything anybody gives her after what she's done." "He does what for a living?" I could go on and on but you get the point.

We don't think of it as judging but it is. Those "opinions" of ours hurt others and honestly reflect negatively on us. Judging is a form of looking down on others, as holding yourself up as superior. You're protesting about now. You don't think of yourself as superior. You don't. Are you sure about that?

Let's take a look. Who made you the fashion critic? And what do you really know about her? Giving should be done from the heart, not because someone has somehow "earned" the right to receive something from you. And, honestly, any job is a good job when it's done as for the Lord.

So be careful what you do and say, whether in your mind (heart!) or with your voice. Your judgment is showing.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Show Mercy, Compassion

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

-- James 2:12-13

How easy it is to line up and condemn those who have done wrong. We look at them with our superior attitudes and tell each other that those people got what they deserved. Some even applaud.

We are so busy condemning that we can’t see ourselves and what we’ve become. We’re so certain of ourselves, we can’t show compassion. We fail to realize that we could make the same mistakes. We could stumble and fall. Next time, it could be us.

Recently a local businessman, a former lobbyist and a former state legislator were sentenced to prison. They each plead guilty to charges stemming from bribery and a casino project. Some would say it was politics as usual and they got caught up in it. Others say it’s the corruption of gambling. Everybody’s got an opinion.

What I don’t hear is a lot of sadness. Three men with wives and children, with families and lives, are going to prison. It’s never cause for celebration. And don’t crow too loudly about what they “deserve.” Because we deserve death and eternal separation from God. Yeah. We don’t like to think about that.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

-- Luke 6:36

We see it everywhere. Someone makes a mistake and the crowd is quick to condemn. Someone makes a wrong choice and the line grows long with those happy to say “I told you so.” We forget about mercy and compassion. We forget that we’re just as human -- and imperfect -- as they are.

Look in the mirror. Have you led a perfect life? Be honest. And remember that God knows all your truths. Oh, I hear you. Sure, you’ve made mistakes but nothing serious. Nothing as bad as those other folks, you‘re quick to say. Are you sure about that?

Because sin is sin in God’s eyes. And the sin of judgment is pretty serious, indeed. The Bible tells us that God will judge us based on how we judge others. It sure puts mercy in a different perspective, doesn’t it?

So don’t celebrate a tragedy. Pray for these men and their families. Be kind in your comments. Show mercy with your actions. Treat them as you want God to treat you.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Extend Mercy And Grace

You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. -- Obadiah v. 12

We live in a wonderful country that allows us to have trials by a jury of our peers. It’s a privilege we sometimes take for granted. And a privilege we frequently don’t want to be a part of.

I got called for jury duty recently. I was not a happy camper. Still, I was determined to go. What was the point in trying to get out of it? I’d just get called again. It’s better to get it over with. So I did.

And, yes, I was selected as a juror. Fortunately, the judge predicted it would only require a day. He was right. He seemed quite smart and competent. Personable even. Much nicer than those television judges I avoid like the plague.

That said, I hope I never, ever have to do it again. It was not a fun experience. I don’t revel in the fact that I was part of a wonderful event. It wasn’t pleasant listening to people lie -- and both sides tripped themselves up -- and even less fun having to make a decision with a group of very different folks.

That’s the point I suppose. But getting everyone to stick to the facts was difficult. Personalities were all over the place. And personal agendas can’t be totally hidden.

One woman seemed determined that the defendant “pay,” insisting that he had the money. We did explain that was irrelevant. I wondered how she thought she knew anything about the man’s finances. It wasn’t part of the testimony and I didn’t get the impression she was privy to his bank statements. But she’d already judged him guilty based on her own prejudices.

Others found themselves feeling sorry for the plaintiff based on their own experiences. Again, not relevant to this case. But none of us can leave our prejudices at the door. It’s impossible.

Why do we always want someone to pay? And why do we need to take our own experiences out on someone else? And why do we get such pleasure in seeing someone else take a fall? Do we secretly think it’s justice? Do we feel better about ourselves if someone else has something bad happen?

It is never wise to gloat over the misfortunes of others. Nor should we rejoice when others take a fall, even -- or maybe especially -- if we secretly think they deserved it. We deserve death for our sins. Each and every one of us. But God showed us mercy. Jesus gave us grace. Shouldn’t we also extend the same mercy and grace to others?

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Don’t Judge Unless You Know

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” -- Luke 7:44-47

It is so easy to criticize others from afar. It is easy to pass judgment on things we do not understand. It is easy to assume we would do things differently if the choice were ours to make.

Assumptions hurt everyone. We’re all guilty at times. But that doesn’t make it right.

Last week a wonderful friend and her husband made the agonizing decision to admit their son to a mental hospital. He is a pre-teen, way too young to be so sick. Yet, he is. They didn’t make the decision lightly. They consulted with doctors. They prayed. And they did what they believe is best.

Others don’t agree. How could they? But love isn’t easy and sometimes the hardest decisions end up being the best. Their son has a chance because they made the most difficult decision in their lives. They deserve to have the love and support of everyone around them. What they don’t need are people who don’t know or understand the entire situation to pass judgment and tell them they could have found another way.

Years ago a wonderful woman changed her life so her mother could live out her remaining years at home. The mother was terrified of the nursing home. So this woman moved in with her mother, eventually quitting her job as her mother needed more and more care.

Her brother was anything but supportive. He and his wife lived a few hours away. They visited twice a year. He never, ever offered to stay with his mother, even for a few hours, so his sister could get a break. In fact, he criticized her and demanded meals and service every time they visited. He treated his mother’s home like a hotel and his sister like the hired help.

When their mother died, he demanded the house be put on the market -- even before his mother was buried. His priorities and his sister’s were different. He was focused on his inheritance while his sister grieved their mother’s death. He was active in his church. His sister rarely attended church. But which sibling lived as Jesus would have wanted?

It is easy to judge. It is easy to say what choices we would make. It is easy to tell others how to live their lives. But until we’ve walked their path, we really don’t know. That’s something to remember the next time we dare to look down at someone walking a difficult road.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Let Go Of Past Mistakes

Laughter can conceal a heavy heart; when the laughter ends, the grief remains. -- Proverbs 14:13

There’s a song titled “Suitcases” that is currently on the play list of contemporary Christian radio stations. The singer, Dara Maclean, really captures what it is like to be a Christian who refuses to let go of the baggage of past mistakes.

We do that, don’t we? We hang on to our pasts, refusing to believe that the blood of Jesus could just wash it all away. Oh, we know. We do. But believing in our hearts that He did it for all those ugly secrets is something else. It’s just not so easy to let go when deep in our hearts we’re just not sure.

We should be. We know that. But why is it so easy to accept forgiveness for some things but not for others? Perhaps because society tells us which sins are “acceptable” and which are not. God doesn’t categorize sin in that way. Sin is sin. But somehow it makes us feel superior to think we’re “better” than others because our sins aren’t as “bad.” Until, maybe, they are.

I get so frustrated sometimes when people look down on others because of where they’re at in life. It’s easy to judge. It’s not so easy to understand that every path is as different as every person. Some people take a hit and bounce up. Other people take a hit and fall down. It doesn’t make one person better than another; just different.

Funny how laughter hides so many sorrows, so many sins, so much baggage, so much pain. The other day one of the finest women I know said she couldn’t understand why an abused child wouldn’t tell someone or how a mother could look the other way. In her world, abuse just doesn’t happen. In the real world, it does.

An abused child doesn’t tell because of fear and rejection. It is their “normal.“ They carry those secrets carry into adulthood, coloring every moment of life. I wonder, sometimes, how many “failures” spent their childhoods as victims. I look around and see so many valiant people who have battled back, turned their lives around, emerged stronger than they ever thought possible. Few people would guess what they’ve endured. Smiling faces hide pain so well.

And when they do speak up, when they do share, they should be embraced. They have such courage. Why must they remain silent victims because their truth makes us so uncomfortable? They deserve the freedom that comes from finally letting go of those suitcases and realizing what it means to live a life free of baggage. You can be free too.

Imagine yourself standing there with all your past sins strapped around your waist. You’ve got all the sins others committed against you that you could not or would not stop hanging around your neck. All the ways you’ve acted out are strapped onto your back. Now imagine Jesus cutting the straps -- one after another after another.

That’s what freedom in Christ is. No more baggage. Take a deep breath. Feel His peace. You’re forgiven for it all. You’re finally free to be the person God created you to be.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Look Beyond Appearances

“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.” -- John 7:24

Have you ever had someone in your life that was determined to fix you? That person wanted to change your hair style, the way you dressed, where you lived. She was only doing it to “help” you. At least, that’s what she said again and again.

I used to believe such people. My self-esteem was such that when someone started in with the criticisms masqueraded as friendly advice, I tried to cooperate. I’d smile back and go along to a certain point. That point came when I’d had enough and just said no. Then I would get cast aside as someone beyond help.

These days I can laugh about people like that. They still exist. Every now and then one of them decides I’ll be her next project. It doesn’t last long because I’ve got no tolerance for it. Not that I couldn’t use some improvements. But those improvements are between me and God and maybe a few close, trusted friends.

I’ve learned that people who spend time trying to fix other people are really trying to avoid fixing themselves. Maybe they’re unhappy with their own appearance. Maybe they’re unhappy in their marriage. Maybe they secretly want a new address. I don’t know. I just know that fixing me won’t solve their problems and will only create new ones for me.

Jesus warned us about judging other people by appearances. But we do it anyway. And for those of you shaking your head and saying “not me,” the answer is “yes you.” We all do it to some degree. We think more highly of people who look like us, who talk like we do, who view the world like we do.

But what about the heart? Can we ever get to know the heart when we’ve already rejected the outside? And what does the outside matter anyway? Our bodies won’t last anyway. It’s the inside that counts. It’s the heart that God sees.

So look for kindness when you meet someone new. Admire a friend’s patience. See the beauty of her spirit as she cares for the elderly. Watch the strength of his love as he works on a mission project. Look for God’s love and grace in each person that you meet. And show them the same in return.

What’s outside just doesn’t matter when viewed from an eternal point of view. And, really, what other point of view could possibly matter?

　

Monday, October 24, 2011

Be Very Careful When You Judge

So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God.

-- Romans 14:10

The comment was meant to be a cutting putdown. Her nose was elevated high and she was passing judgment on what she believed was an inappropriate sign in front of a church. I thought it was hilarious. So did a wonderful pastor I know (not associated with that particular church) and countless other Christian friends.

My initial reaction was anger. I know. Another sin. But I really disliked her attitude that somehow God doesn’t have a sense of humor. I don’t believe we should always have to bow down in seriousness before God. It doesn’t mean we don’t love and respect God. It means we do love and respect our Creator. He knows us. He knows our hearts. And He takes great joy in us.

That kind of attitude really turns people away from Jesus. Who wants to worship and serve a God who never laughs? Who wants to bow down before a God who is all dictatorial and lacks compassion? No one. So aren’t we truly blessed that God is kind and loving, compassionate and caring. He sees us -- flaws and all -- and loves us. How awesome is that?

Maybe my attitude it born of a relationship with God that is deeper than anything I’ve ever experienced with another human being. Yes, I thank Him for the many blessings He bestows on me. And, yes, I am very aware of His power and His position in all creation. But I also recognize Him as Father. He is my Yahweh.

So I talk to Him about the brilliant sunsets He creates. I tell Him my deepest secrets. I shares jokes with Him. I give Him my inexpert opinion and listen -- I think -- to Him laugh. He picks me up when I stumble and fall. He cheers me on and sometimes He’s the only One who believes I really can do what He’s called me to do. He gets on to me when I take a wrong turn. He forgives me when I mess up -- again.

He is everything to me so I get quite offended if someone dares to say that I or my friends are somehow not showing the appropriate respect to our God. I could get ugly. I could point out sins and flaws in this person. She is no better than the rest of us, no matter how she may want to appear. But I refuse to stoop that low. That’s getting in to God’s territory and He surely doesn’t need my nose where it doesn’t belong.

I’ll just say that the times when I’ve noticed others being particularly ugly to fellow Christians is when those being ugly were struggling with dark sin in their own lives. It’s easier to lash out than to look inside. I’ve been there. It’s not a happy place to be.

So don’t be so quick to look down on other Christians as being less than you think they should be. If they’re doing wrong, God will handle it. And if you’re doing wrong, He’ll handle that too.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

  Judgment Turns Back
        -- Every Time

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." -- Romans 2:1

Some days I look around and see judges everywhere. It frightens me. Not because I fear their judgmental glances and backstabbing words. No, I'm afraid because I know what God does to those who judge others. Been there, done that, as the saying goes. And I don't ever, ever want to go back there again.

I really don't know why we sometimes think we know better than anyone else. I don't understand how we can rationalize our sins as being less than those of another. I don't know why we think we can turn our superior noses upward and look down on people who are struggling with their own sins and its consequences. But we do.

God, however, has a way of making sure we develop compassion and humility. Like the man who quickly judged and condemned the mistake of a fellow church member. He refused to extend forgiveness even though the sinner expressed regret and vowed to live a different life. Now, that same man watches in helpless agony as his child makes a similar mistake and suffers the consequences. Somehow I doubt that man will be as quick to judge next time.

Or take the woman who values her lifestyle almost as much as she values her husband and children. She watches her sibling struggle financially, making bad mistakes and stumbling every time he seems to get his life together. I see the future so clearly and it breaks my heart. She doesn't understand that she and her husband are but one layoff or one major illness away from the same fate. She'll learn compassion one day. Guaranteed.

I used to think I had it all together. I had a good life filled with good things like a prestigious address, a status car and awesome vacations. One phone call and grief destroyed everything I thought I valued. Now, people look down at me because I no longer strive for financial gain at the cost of relationships. I spend time studying the Bible, both alone and with others, as I seek His will. He is permanent, solid and strong. He is dependable, no matter what comes my way. I learned the hard way to cling to that rock.

That's the thing about judging others. It always comes back on you. Always. No exceptions. God has called us to be compassionate and kind, forgiving and welcoming to others. It doesn't mean accepting sin. It means acknowledging that we all sin. I means showing others the same level of forgiveness that God has shown and continues to show to each of us. It's a lesson we all learn, one way or another.