HAVE YOU WALKED IT?

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1)

I’m almost afraid to quote that verse, because ironically, people tend to take that verse out of context, “run” with it, and turn around and JUDGE the people whom they PERCEIVE are judgmental!

The fact is we ARE to be “fruit inspectors”  according to the SAME passage in Matthew 7:17 and 18.  It IS appropriate to examine behavior to see if it lines up with basic Biblical principles and especially when choosing Christian leaders.  BUT, it is very unfair to condemn someone who may have “walked” a difficult situation which you do not know or understand.  (It takes real maturity and discernment to understand the difference between judging and fruit inspection.  I will try to at least scratch the surface between the two in this blog entry.)

In evangelical Christian circles, the following people (among others) tend to be CONDEMNED:  divorced and remarried people, smokers, people in excessive debt, people who are viewed as “soft”  on homosexuality, people who oppose the war in Iraq, and people who are tattooed or have “weird” body piercings.

Before you condemn any of those categories of people, please think about the following:

No question, divorce is displeasing to God.  There is Scripture that indicates that IN CERTAIN CASES divorce and remarriage constitute adultery.  But the key phrase is “IN CERTAIN CASES”.  True, we should not have lax standards about divorce and remarriage, but I have known SO many fine Christian brothers and sisters who have been CONDEMNED for being divorced and remarried.  Some Christians have endured unspeakable horrors in nightmare marriages.  Ultimately they divorce before they commit murder or suicide.  In time, they find a soul mate and marry.  Many, many evangelical Christians condemn that.  I know this may seem like I’m contradicting my last blog entry, but I honestly do not believe God condemns this.  Even where there WAS a sinful divorce and remarriage, I am not prepared to say it’s the unpardonable sin.  I’m mindful of Jesus admonition of John chapter eight about he who is without sin cast the first stone (cf. John 8:7).

I absolutely hate the smell of smoke and I especially hate it on my clothes, but I’ve never been addicted to nicotine.  For some people this addiction is a terrible struggle.  They need love, prayer, and not condemnation.  Before you’re too hard on them, are YOU addicted to caffeine?  (As many of you know, I am.)

I have heard more Christians judged, condemned, and rejected for being in excessive debt than for ANY other sins or faults!  I’ve heard them savaged!  True, it’s wrong to be in excessive debt.  But, have you walked it?  I have.
“Mr. Baril, your car’s transmission needs major work.  It will cost $537.18.”  I’ve heard lines like that (and far worse) many times.  What did I do?  I pulled out the plastic and charged it, not knowing how I would ever pay it.  Even worse is your kids needing expensive prescription medicine and not having any money to buy it.  What did I do?  I pulled out the plastic and charged it. For all those who would condemn me- what would you do?   When you see someone who is working 40-plus hours a week, and obviously struggling to keep their 9-year-old car running, to buy their kids medicine, and to make ends meet- someone whose clothes are obviously worn, and you are comfortable to excess...and THEN you look down your nose and condemn that guy because he’s got a credit card debt problem...well, don’t even get me started on that one!  No Christian who works a full-time job, tithes, and makes every effort to be a good parent should EVER have to pull out a credit card just to exist.  We should help out each other.  I really believe that.

Yes, homosexuality is wrong.  It is.  But it’s a complicated subject.  There are complicated reasons why people feel attracted to people of the same sex.  Some guys have been rejected and condemned all their lives for not being macho.  “Fag; fag; FAG!!”  They’ve heard it over and over and OVER.  As very vulnerable adolescents, identifying as “gay” or “bi” can be a lot more accepting and affirming than trying to be some macho person they’re not.  Then that person starts searching for God, and begins to attend an evangelical church.  “God created Adam and Eve, not ADAM AND STEVE!”  we tell them.  They go back out the door, feeling rejected even by God and likely end up eternally lost.  It should never be that way.  I know for a fact of former active homosexuals who are now living happy “normal” heterosexual lives and have good Christian homes.  It takes a lot of love and tolerance for a person to make the journey from being a professing “gay” or “bi” to being the Christian heterosexual person the Lord truly intends them to be.  May we NEVER push such a struggling person away.

I MOSTLY support the war in Iraq.  That doesn’t mean I think President Bush is 100% right, but I do mostly support it.  But I know some fine Christian people who do NOT support it.  I know some fine Christian people who are liberals.  I know some fine Christian people who are Democrats.  I may not agree with them, but I’m not going to be quick to condemn them as unpatriotic.

Tattoos and “weird” body piercings are not for me.  But I don’t want to forget the message of Romans 14:17-19. I may not like these things, but I hope I never push away a person (likely a young person) who sports a tattoo or nose ring, or brass safety pin through the eyebrow, etc.  May I never forget that person is a soul for whom Christ died.  In some parts of the world, my own grooming and dress style could be considered repugnant.

I certainly have not “arrived”.  I think at times we all struggle with inappropriate judging.  There’s that old Native American proverb about “walking a mile in someone’s moccasins”.  Before you condemn that divorced person, or that person in debt, or anyone else- have you experience what they have in life?  Have you walked it?