I was raised to believe that most if not all individuals from different denomination were not saved individuals. It was our right if not our job to question the very grounds of their faith. Specially those in the Roman Catholic Church.
Today I don't fully agree with that. I believe it's close minded and judgmental. Only God knows what's in the heart of another. Being raised in a legalistic community and family I believed that those with tattoos, body piercings, gay/lesbian, those who had had abortions, drank and smoked were to be shunned and discredited. Perhaps even ignored. They were dangerous.
Those like Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi and others known for being activists have many times been completely discredited because they assumably had a questionable knowledge of Christ. But I've read some of their writings and heard some of what they have to say. I think that instead of discrediting them all together because they may or may not be saved we should listen to what they have to say because they have learned some very powerful things in life and have so much wisdom we can learn from. Something we can certainly learn from and put into action in our own lives. They lived for peace, for helping humanity, possibly without the indwelling of the Spirit of God. What they might have been like with that indwelling would have been further amazing.
I hate it when Christians discredit an individual and count them as nothing because they are unsaved or living in sin. They have meaning, they have purpose, and we must first love them with Christ's love before we can even begin to woo them to fall in love with the God that so passionately loves them. To judge someone first and completely because of their choices in life just shows our unwillingness to spend the time getting to know them and figuring out what the context of their life really is. What has molded them to be who they are. What gifts, talents and abilities have they been given to make them such a unique masterpiece in the eyes of God. They most importantly are God's beloved child. A child God has died for and loves. Shame on us for treating God's children with such distain. I can't even imagine someone doing that to one of my own chidren.
Jesus while he walked the earth didn't go eat with the dignified, the "holy". He went to the tax collectors house (the despised of all despised), the poor and needy, he met with the woman caught in adultery, he talked to the woman at the well known for multiple relationships with men and he wooed them with His perfect love. He called them to follow him. He loved them in their brokenness. He didn't tell them to get their act straight and then come see him. We who preach/believe that those out there must first turn from their sin to meet God don't preach a gospel of Love, but of law, that of the Pharisees. We tell others that our sin is not as bad as theirs, we are better, we have it all together, God must love us more. We preach a gospel no one wants to hear. We all have sinned and continue to sin. Sin, all of it creates a disconnect in our relationship with God. When we acknowledge our sin and draw near we see once again that God has always been there, for each and every one of us waiting to cradle us in His arms of Love. Like the father and the prodigal son. Welcoming us back into the fold ready to celebrate our return. I hope that you believe that God is always there for you, wanting to hold you in His mighty arms.
Please understand that I am no where near getting this all right. I still struggle, often, but it is something that has further been impressed on my heart by God's gentle voice this past year. God hasn't called me to love those who are the easiest to love. He has called me to love all His children, the same. As well I'm not saying that you don't have to change once you've come to know Christ. God calls us to be ever changing, ever growing, to know Him deeper and grow in maturity. It's the loving people to Christ that is so important. You will never love people to Christ by treating them like garbage.
No comments:
Post a Comment