casting down the gavel

There is one thing that really makes me frustrated.

It is the way people judge one another. I just don't get it.

Appearances are deceptive and often times fleeting. Just learn to accept that people are sinful and WILL make mistakes. And more than that, just love them for the way they are.

Every single person alive was created by God. And He LOVES them. And we have no right to find faults in those beloved by our Creator!!! Yes, understand that certain actions are wrong. Don't be ignorant. Don't ignore the implications of certain behavior patterns. Turn away from sin yourself. Don't follow bad company. BUT, among the Christian community, we CANNOT look at ONE ANOTHER and say, "she did this, and he did that, and so and so tried to do such and such". It is just not right.

"For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all." (Romans 11:32)

That is, in my opinion, one of the most powerful statements in the entire Bible. God designed us to fail, so that we would need Him ~ require Him!! ~ to have mercy on us and shed His grace upon us.

It goes on to say: "Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36)

And if we require so much of Him, how can we look at those around us and point out their flaws? How can we say we dislike them for the little things? How can we be annoyed by them? How can we judge them by what they have done?





Does it matter? Does it really tell who they are? Is that what they want to be? Do they really love God?

Those are the questions we need to ask. Because in the end of things, God will not ask us whether we saw "so and so doing such and such". He will ask us if we loved them, and showed them His mercy and grace. He will want to know if we were a good friend, even when we were hurt or cast aside or unhappy or knotted deep down inside ourselves. He will want to know what WE did. Not them.

This world was not made for us. We cannot selfishly judge others.

So let's cast down the gavel. Let's look at our fellow men with eyes of compassion and forgiveness. Let's stop whispering behind hands about people who to their face we laugh and joke with! What hypocrisy!! This is a sin I find abundant in my Christian circles and it disgusts me. No more. NO MORE!!! We must capture this temptation of Satan's and bring it back under Christ's dominion.

Next time you are tempted to say you don't like somebody, stop a second. Evaluate WHY you are about to say it.





Is it something God honoring? Is it something Jesus would approve of? And if it isn't, resist it.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another, that your joy may be full."