<I actually wrote this back in April for the blog due to
things I saw going on, but was honestly too scared to post it – as this is not
something I normally do. But given current events, I think now is a good time.>
There has been something weighing on my heart for quite a
while now.. I see it at home, at church, at school, in the news, in the real
world, …. I see it everywhere. And it hurts me. It weighs on my heart and soul.
And I am also to blame. As you read this, don’t think I’m pointing fingers and
being holier than thou, because if I am pointing fingers, they are at myself. I
am just at a point where I feel that someone needs to stand up and say
something. I have had my eyes wide open for a few months, observing this
happening in many different situations, I have also witnessed my own self doing
it, to others out right, or in my own mind. (As I write this, you is me,
this is as much about the way I act, think, treat others, as it is about what I
have observed.)
Do you know what it is? Can you guess?
Judgment. We are judging everyone we meet, or even worse,
people who we have never met, but just heard rumors about through people in our
lives or people in the news! We have never met someone, yet we think that we
are holier than them, or we think “Oh, he’s famous, but he’s such a sinner!”
Well guess what? ….so am I! We ALL are. I know, that sucks. But we are not
perfect!
Because of our judgment comes a myriad of other sins.
Judging others all the time, thinking that we are better Christians than someone
else, causes us to forget something very important – when we show this judgment
to others, when they notice how we act, telling others they will go to hell (a
“Christian” group on my undergrad campus would actually tell people this if
others were doing things they disagreed with!), pointing out the wrongs in
others, this makes others see just how
ungodly we truly are.
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your
Christians are so unlike your Christ.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Oh, how this quote pains me. It rips and pulls at my heart
from every direction. I hope you already know
this. I hope you know that we
are not Christlike… But what I am hoping that you “get” through this, is that
you truly realize how many people
feel this way! Heck, I feel this way, even though
I am one of these people who is so incrediblly unChristlike!
"The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyles. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." Brennan Manning
Our ungodliness, our not being Christlike, makes
Christianity look bad, it makes Christians look bad, it makes everything we stand for null. Do you honestly believe
that treating others differently because they are a different religion, color,
sexual orientation, etc. than you, that you are showing God’s love? Do you
honestly believe that treating others differently will bring them to Christ? Do
you honestly believe that telling someone, or saying it in a round about way,
or saying it in a way where you don’t think they will realize you are talking
about them, will help them? That it will make them feel better about themselves? NO!
And if you don’t show God’s love, if you don’t try to bring them to Christ, if
you don’t make them feel better or help them, then what is your ends to this
means? It is time that we make a change! Stop thinking you are better because
you have Christ, or because you study the Bible more, or if you are not a
Christian – stop thinking that putting Christianity down will help anyone! Quit
judging others for their sins, or wrongdoings when you are also committing sins,
even if they are different sins. That’s the thing, a sin is a sin. Sins hurt
you. Sins hurt other people.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.”
Romans 3:23
Now I am not saying that all sins are equal, but I’m not
saying that they are not either. That is not what my point is. My point is just
because someone has a sin that you believe is something terribly awful, you
must remember that you also have sins! And guess what….
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for
many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:28
This is also another means to my end. We are forgiven by Christ’s
blood. We know that. But another verse –
which I have heard my whole life and I’m sure other Christians have as
well – that I have always known but have not lived it out, is
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their
sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15
!!!! <- That’s all I have for that… But seriously, =come on people. This comes back
to our judgment! How is it that you can judge someone for their way of life,
when that means sacrificing your own forgiveness, and putting yourself right
where they will be at the end of this thing called life. Because one lives a
life that you think is not going to get them through the pearly gates,
if you do not forgive them and love on them and tell them that Christ loves
them through everything, then what is your reason for even giving them a second
thought? Judging others will not help you or anyone else one single ounce.
There is no point in judging others because it will only hurt you.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
We are here to love. If we want to live Christ-filled lives,
Christ-led lives, Christ-like lives, we’ve got some major changes to make! It
is time for us to love others!!! No matter what their lifestyle is, no matter
what their walk with God looks like (because guess what? We don’t know what
their relationship with God is!! Only that person and God knows their true
relationship), no matter what we think
about a person, it is time for us to forgive them, love them, treat them well,
treat them how Christ would. Can you do that? I can’t at all times, I know I will
stumble, I know I will, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try as much as I possibly
can, reminding myself often to love as best as I can. Let’s go back to What
Would Jesus Do? Shaming others and judging them is not what Jesus would do.
When these thoughts enter your mind – thoughts of judging
someone or disagreeing with someone’s actions or lifestyle – pray for them
instead. Pray that they will find Christ, and pray that they will see Christ
through your actions.
