Recently, I've been involved in several discussions, threads, blogs, etc. about Christians being careful how they respond and treat others. This has been especially evident as controversial issues come up, from politics to religion to lifestyles and others. I've been trying so hard to tell others how careful we ought to be of how we respond, and that our responses and reactions must model the behavior of Christ.
Today I failed that very thing.
I was extremely critical of someone very close to me and someone I honestly have limited knowledge of. It was a comment about her denomination, and whether she had a saving faith in Jesus, to another person of that same faith. Immediately my heart knew it was wrong. I was sorry, but I could not take those words back. I fear that I came off as ignorant and judgemental. Honestly, it was just plain stupid.
What causes us to sit in judgement of others? What causes us to see ourselves as righteous, while we pick others apart and hold them to a higher standard? First, our problem is we put ourselves out there in front and want to be heard. We want others to know that surely we know right from wrong, and point out when others fail in order to make ourselves look better by comparison. I spent some time tonight in the Bible, in the Book of James. James 1:19 says, "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." When we become angry, for whatever reason, we don't think about the words our mouths spit out. We don't think about how damaging what we say can be.
Comparison. That's another part of it. We want to measure up. We want others to measure us against Jesus and find that we look good. After all, that's what our goal is, right? We strive to be more Christlike. You know what, though? We fail. We fail BIG. To prove that we fail big, we go out and we point out the flaws of everyone else. Forgetting that no one is perfect, and that we don't have it all right. No matter what, we cannot possibly measure up to God's vision of perfection and never will. Furthermore, we cannot attain righteousness by pointing out the flaws or sins in others and expect to be seen as pure.
This week, pastor Rick Warren in California lost his 27yr old son Matthew to suicide. Matthew had evidently battled mental illness and depression all his life, and in a fit of despair killed himself. All over Facebook, Yahoo, and other internet outlets, people were commenting about it. The big one was whether or not Matthew was in heaven or did he lose his salvation through the sin of taking his life. People were merciless in their tirades. Quoting scripture, denying scripture, misinterpreting (for all we know) scripture. It made my heart hurt reading some of the things people wrote that they believe. So I asked God in prayer, "Do any of us have it 'right'?" I'd like to think that my faith teaches me to look to the Bible for answers, and I do. That is, for now, the only answer source we have besides prayer. Still, people will say what they think and feel is correct, and they will cyber-eviscerate people who believe otherwise. All in the name of their religious beliefs.
This article I commented on today didn't even have any relevance to what I said. I had some harbored feelings from a conversation that had passed and evidently left quite a scar on my heart. It never should have been said. It made me sound critical of others out of ignorance. I am remorseful. I'm asking for forgiveness, but furthermore I'm praying "Lord, don't let me be a hypocrite. Don't let me speak with an evil tongue, as "righteous" as it tries to come off. Don't let me be like those James warns of in James 1:26, "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless." And as it says in chapter 3, verses 9 and 10, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be." We should be building others up, not tearing them down. Especially when it comes to fellow Christians. We are called to be humble, we are called to be Jesus to others, but we are surely not called to condemn and judge. None of us can boast that we have all the answers, or that our minds can tell us what You would think or do. We only have Your Word to go by...“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” [This is] the Lord’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”—Isaiah 55:8–9
Tonight my prayer is this: "Lord, don't let me be a hypocrite or a stumbling block for others. Do not let my tongue spew words that are not of You. Do not allow my heart to be filled with false righteousness, puffed up and boastful. I love You and I want to serve You. Please help me to remember humility and if necessary, even feel shame. I apologize for my judgemental heart and attitude, and for my critical thoughts of others. Thank you that You have laid this so heavy on my heart tonight so that I will see the fault and do what I can to never repeat it."
Amen.
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