In our small group the other night we were reading in Luke and Jesus sermon on the plain...(or the mount) We came across verse 37 of chapter 6 which reads, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.” You know trying to figure out what is considered to be judging can be kind of difficult...that day, earlier, I had written another blog and had it ready to post and then quit. Something said, don’t do it...you see I had written about some stuff I had read online about a famous TV preacher taking over another church...former pastors ex-wife suing church...(so much more...it would have been funny if it was not so sad) Another article about a churches “gay” nativity scene being vandalized...hate crime? And more...
Now I can honesty say that most of it was just embarrassing and it does make me crazy when I read these things...because I do love the church...the whole church. I don’t think I am always right and they are so wrong...I am concerned about the health of the church in the U.S. We are celebrity driven...people look for churches like they look for restaurants...or stores...like a consumer...and we, as leaders, have bought into that on so many levels. What can we do better...cooler...newer...shorter...etc? Can we make God look good???
Back to my problem...yes I was frustrated...(I only gave you a small, brief sampling) and I have to say, deep down it probably does make me feel better about myself...I may not lead a mega-church, be on TV, and all that other stuff...but I am still married...I truly love the church God has graced me to lead. I was trying to write from a humorous perspective but I found making fun of such hurtful situations did not feel very humorous. So I had to stop and think a moment...or two. Then I had to repent for such prideful thinking...yes I truly dislike what some do in the name of God...at the expense of His church...but it is not my job to condemn or judge. Now if they would ask me my opinion I would love to give it:) but they did not.
So I heard the Spirit take something Jesus said and spin it around on me a bit...He said one time, “Why be anxious about tomorrow...today has enough stuff to worry about.” I heard the whisper, “Why worry about their stuff...you got enough stuff of your own.” OK...got it.
I will ask this of any of you reading this...and you are an elite group for sure:) Pray for the church...the whole church...Bill Hybels says, “The church is the hope of the world,” and when I read this other stuff, I feel bad for the world, really. Are we bringing hope? Are we showing hope? And then as we read the soap opera in some of the US church...we also read about the rest of the world...people dying in Nigeria...because they follow Jesus. North Korea has the worst record of all in the way followers of Jesus are persecuted...Islamic extremist are taking over many governments and Christians are being persecuted. So we need to pray...pray...and pray. My heart is broken for the church and it is not my job to mock and make fun of it...to judge and condemn...it is to pray.
I repent for my prideful attitude...and cry for His people...His leaders...of which I am one.
Bill
I am so with you, Bill. In judging, in hurting for God's people. Your heart encourages and challenges me again. I will pray with you
ReplyDeleteI can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. Beyond that, I am a miserable judge. Some years ago, in a time of prayer, I heard a word that has stuck with me: "It is impossible to find a fault in someone else that you do not have yourself, to some degree." So true. A thousand times true. When you point a finger, there are always those three fingers pointing right back at you.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this. Your thoughts are so well carried out. I find myself having very judgmental, prideful thoughts often and find myself siding with people who don't even like Christianity on some things simply because of bad decisions that people have made. (Yes, I am a Christ-follower). But haven't we all made bad decisions? It's ironic how the pride makes us feel like we're more part of a group, when it further divides us. Sometimes it feels like we lose by taking sides, but then we also lose by not taking sides (a stand, maybe?). It's so hard, but the fact that we think and apply that to our flowing, evolving faith might build credibility where seeds already have root. And if there's no root, then there's no true loss as only God can make things grow. - a Fuentes
ReplyDeleteWhenever I find myself judging someone, I point to myself and say you are no better. I may not have done that particular sin or had that particular fault but I have faults and sins of my own I am not proud of. So I point to myself and then start praying and blessing the person I had begun to judge. It works every single time.
ReplyDelete