So yesterday we talked about how Jesus often sided with the underdogs . . . We see examples of this when he reached out and touched lepers – people who probably had not felt a human touch in quite some time – without fear. We see him choosing Zaccheus, a very-much despised tax collector living in Jericho, to be his host for dinner. And we see him loving the adulteress and the Samaritan woman.
Of course, leave it to the Pharisees, those judgmental ninnies who placed rules over people to question why he was “eating with tax collectors and sinners?”
To which Jesus replies: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:11-13)
And guess what? We’re all sick. Each and every one of us is sick with sin in the eyes of God.
Thankfully, He sent His son so we don’t have to live with that forever. Whew.
However, the point is this: we all sin. Every one of us.
Some sins are more obvious to the general public while some are so sneaky the one afflicted doesn’t even notice.
But sins are not graded on a sliding scale. A sin is a sin is a sin. They’re all equal in the eyes of God.
A while ago, I stumbled upon this quote:
And I thought . . . YES. (Earth-shattering . . . I know.)
I’ve always loved the verse in John 15 about Jesus being the one true vine and God the gardener but there’s a part I often glossed over . . .
Remain in me and I will remain in you.
When we choose to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us.
Yet this is a deal between Jesus and us: if we remain in Him through obedience, prayer, and humility, He’ll remain in us in Spirit.
But if we are judging others, we’re not remaining in Him because He who is within us didn’t judge.
When we make judgements, against homosexuals or those who have been divorced or the tired mother who just spoke too harshly to her children at Wal-Mart, we are showing the world we have not remained in Him.
But when we love them anyway, despite their sin, we do exactly what Jesus did for us because He loves US anyway.
I’m not suggesting you just turn a blind-eye and condone others to do whatever they want because hey, we all sin.
However, I am saying we need to meet people right where they are because this is precisely what Jesus did.
We won’t get very far if we sling mud at those who are different from us but we might if we show love and ask to hear their story and be the hands and feet of Jesus.
At the end of the day, it’s not our job to save them. There’s only One who can save and that’s between the two of them.
But we can love them well for who they are, right here, right now.
Much like Jesus does for us every single day.
Indeed, none of us is perfect. We are always making progress, though. I do find I need to step back and rethink my fleeting flashes of judgment- because they will just pop in there and I have to remind myself that it is not my job to judge others- it's His. I am a person working my way through life the best I can with the tools I have available to be. Love not judge- love it!! Thanks for posting!!
good morning precious niece of mine…again another post written with excellence. thank you for sharing your heart with so many. i have often told people the “sin is sin is sin” phrase. it all weighs the same!!! murder and gossip weigh the same??? i believe so….when we ask for forgiveness for our sins, whatever they are, WE ARE FORGIVEN. Romans 8:1 says: “THEREFORE THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS…”that NOW means NOW to me. we can be free each and every day because of what Jesus already did for us. thank you God for sending your only Son so we can be FREE to love ALL people. In His unfailing love, aunt nancy sue
YES, Aunt Nancy. Romans 8:1 is one of my favorite verses – there is NO condemnation in Him.
Sweet freedom indeed…
Love you!
I truly think that a very vocal majority of “Christians” have become our modern day Pharisees. They are very committed to pointing out how everyone else is falling short.
As I’ve seen God work in my life, when I came to the end of myself and turned everything over to him at the end of my marriage, I have seen such transformation in my heart, mind, and my life. And I’m pretty stubborn. So if God can change me from the inside like he has…I can certainly trust him to change all of those “others.”
There might be a book in here somewhere…but I also think if we The Church were more passionate about Loving our neighbors and serving the needy and feeding the hungry we would run out of time to judge.
Love your heart, sister friend.
OH, friend. Amen. Yes, yes, and yes.
I’ve often thought of the whole “modern day Pharisees” correlation as well. It’s really amazing how similar we are as people to those who lived during Biblical times, isn’t it?
I’m with you on the inside transformation thing, too – He is constantly hollowing me out in a good way…:)
Love to you, sweet heart sister.
Yes, such a good point, Kristin – there is always progress. I also agree with the whole "I need to step back and rethink my fleeting judgments" – oh, how I relate. Thank you for reading and commenting, Kristin!
i do love this topic…and i’m so all about it, and then i slip and find myself doing the judging thing…yuck. this just happened to me this week in a not so great way, so i’ve been working my way through the hurting i caused and feel. So thankful for people like you who share about the hard stuff without judging=) and reminding us about bringing it back to Jesus!! Blessings~