Thursday, July 12, 2007

react



react to this statement:





More than a third of children born in the United States are born to unmarried parents, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

what is our reaction, the quick one from the gut.

  • is it compassion and sadness.
  • or judgment and condemnation.


the article I pulled this from was full of Christian holier-than-you, condemning, cruelty. Once again, expecting people who are lost to act like those who are found. And when they get bored with that...they turn on each other.

react to this story:

23-25"The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn't pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
26-27"The poor wretch threw himself at the king's feet and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.
28"The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, 'Pay up. Now!'
29-31"The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' But he wouldn't do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
32-35"The king summoned the man and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn't you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?' The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that's exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn't forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy."

it's a warning that shouldn't be needed. How could those who have been cleansed and washed of their scarlet sins, seen and invisible, act in such cruel ways?

The church is to be a sanctuary of grace. a continuation of the ministry of Jesus...and yes he will judge...but even that is not his primary mission

John 12:46-48 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. "If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

it seems to me tonight that we all have plenty to work on ourselves. We know our secret sins and that should be plenty to keep us humble. Our mission isn't one of judgment but of rescue, and our attitude and approach should be the same as Jesus.

there are 2 people however who get to enjoy judgment:

  • the Pharisee's: Jesus primary human enemy on earth, and judgmental religious freaks extraordinaire.
  • and the accuser: Satan


so next time you react to the foibles and failures of others, double check and make sure you know who's side you are REALLY on.

quote: "the pursuit of holiness in self, produces humility; and the pursuit of holiness in others produces pride. Humility serves, and pride condemns. When Christians stop being slaughtered in the roman coliseums and start being the spectators of others being devoured...we know that something quite terrible has happened. The enemy of love is almost always pseudo-holiness that has lost it's way, and blindfolded to truth and love now runs about like a bull in a street gouging everyone in it's path. How my dear brothers and sisters how have we who have been saved, become such monsters."

Priest killed in the Spanish inquisition

so if you ever have the itch to tee off on someone in gleeful fun, start with the person in the mirror, I'm sure they need plenty of fixing.

i know i do

2 comments:

sergio_101 said...

i never study the bible.. i am just not interested, and i have so much stuff to do..

but i did..

a long time ago..

and i learned i could summarize it as follows:

in one word..

BEHAVE..

in a few more words..

don't be jerky..

and

help each other out as best you can..

i don't see a whole lot more than this in there...

Anonymous said...

There are two main types of people I see in my counseling office--those who need to learn to forgive and those who need to be forgiven. Need I say more?

 

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