Throughout my 'faith journey' I have encountered many people who have been Christian's their entire life. They have always lived the Christian life and can not seem to comprehend the idea of what life is without the Lord. To them I say this:
'Good for you! Awesome! I am so happy that you never endured the pain, and shame that comes with turning your back on the Lord! - But please, quit judging me.' Do not get me wrong, not everyone who has always been a Christian or is a Christian now judges others who approach the Lord, but I have encountered quite a few of them.
I, am a sinner. We, are all sinners. It is only by the Grace of God that any of us are granted an audience with the Lord; let alone His unimaginable Love and Salvation. God's Love is welcoming to all people who seek Him; all those who accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour. We are all equals under Him.
As a person who chose to live my life outside of God's will for a long time, I can testify that when a person, like myself, begins to actively search for God, it is only out of desperation. You feel like you have nothing left within yourself. You seek anything to fill that emptiness, and if you're fortunate, something tells you to seek God.
When you walk into a Church for the first time in a long time, you want to turn around and run out. You watch for the reaction; waiting for the disapproving glares, the quiet murmurs, the snears and snickers. All it takes is one person's disapproval to make you turn away from the Church forever.
In our generation, being a Christian is not 'normal', it is not the 'cool' thing to do. I believe this is largely due to the fact that non-Christians believe Christianity requires perfection and they acknowledge that they will never achieve it. There are not many people who willingly accept that they will fail and still put in a credible effort. But what these individuals do not understand is that, as a Christian, you don't miraculously stop sinning and become the portrait of perfection; the difference when you're a Christian, is that you have Salvation; your sins are Forgiven.
I remember a sermon that Pastor Randy gave, it was based on a similar topic and he said 'The number one reason for Aethism is Christianity.' Non-Christian's look to us for an example of what being a Christian is all about. If we pray on our knees on Sunday's and prey on our neighbor's every other day - what kind of example does that give them? If we refrain from cussing and indecency on Sunday's, but come Monday we've got our trucker-mouth strapped on and we're shaking our bums at everyone - what kind of message does that send? I can vouche for this theory on Aethism, because I thought these same things.
I'm ranting. The point of this blog was to send this message...
Welcome sinners into your Church; welcome everyone into your Church. Always try your best to be a shining example of the Lord's Love and Mercy, because each day could be the day you encounter a 'New Christian' and all they are looking for is one person to give them an excuse to turn away. Please don't be that person.
And another song:
If We Are The Body – Casting Crowns
It's crowded in worship today,
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces,
The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know,
Farther than they know,
But if we are the body,
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body,
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way,
A traveler is far away from home,
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row,
The weight of their judgmental glances,
Tells him that his chances are better out on the roads,
But if we are the body,
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body,
Why aren’t His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way,
Jesus paid much too high a price,
For us to pick and choose who should come,
And we are the body of Christ,
Why aren’t His arms reaching?
Why aren’t His hands healing?
Why aren’t His words teaching?
And if we are the body,
Why aren’t His feet moving?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way,
Jesus is the way
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1 comment:
Hey Andrea
I agree with alot of what you say here. I will be the first to (shamefully) admitt that I am one of those judging Christians. I have been raised in the church and fully became a Christian about 6 years ago now. However, I still from time to time look at new Christians or Christians whose problems are very visable to those around them and I outright judge them. Whether I know them or not. And without getting to know them.
When that I do that I have to remind myself that "hey I have problems too." Just cause my aren't as visable as their's or as serious (in my own eyes) it is still sin that has to be dealt with. I can't go pointing fingers at people for one small thing that I noticed about them, when I knowingly have an entire multitude of my own problems to deal with first.
It is like Jesus said in Luke 6 about judging others. In verses 37-38a
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you"
Later in verses 41 and 42 it says,
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye"
That is what helps me when I find that I am judging someone else, Christian or not.
By the way that song by Casting Crown is one of my favourites. It is an absolutely amazing reminder to all of us. Thanks for posting it.
-Julie-Anne
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