June 2017 – Daily Devo Time

Daily Devotional for June 30, 2017 – Are you guilty by association?

Hebrews 12:1-2
Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God.

In the last couple of weeks, I have seen several posts on social media that could be considered disparaging toward a certain group of people…including people of other faiths and those who claim not to believe in anything or any “higher power”. The comments that followed ranged from outrage by some who were targeted to attempts from “Christians” to defend the posts. In a couple of cases where the posts were particularly hateful, I “unfriended” and blocked the person who shared them. I did not do this to judge this person…but I believe “guilt by association” is real. I could not risk having another person assume that I agree with these unkind – and sometimes downright ugly – claims.

For me, this illustrates how careful we must be as Christians…because people ARE watching! If we profess to keep our eyes on Jesus and honor Him as our leader and instructor, we have to be certain that what we say and do welcomes all people instead of alienating them. If we set ourselves on a pedestal as better than others and make a show of our faith – and an unbeliever feels excluded – we have failed in our witness.

If we make a distinction between ourselves as Christians – and people of other faiths or those who have no declared religious commitment at all – we have essentially said, “I’m right – you’re wrong; I’m superior – and you are basically unimportant.” I know that sounds drastic – and may be a bit of an exaggeration. But I’ve heard from enough people who felt diminished in some way to say that I don’t think I’m too far off base.

If even one person looks at us and our demonstrations of Christian faith and the teachings of Jesus – and sees an inkling of judgment, superiority or exclusion – we have failed as Christ’s disciples. We may also have caused that person to decide that a “new life in Christ” is not for him/her. Do we really want to be responsible for another person’s eternal life in this manner?

I understand that everyone has free will…and that people have to choose to follow Christ on their own. I get that we are not ultimately responsible for another person’s salvation. But if we get in the way…in any manner…we have dishonored the gift of Salvation in our own lives – and the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us. We have set ourselves apart as someone special to Christ…and denigrated the value of others. And I can’t imagine that this pleases Jesus in the least!

So before we say something, we must stop and think about how others will perceive it. Before we act…or post on social media…let’s take a breath – and maybe say a quick prayer – and see if what we are sharing will cause even a single person to question the merits of a life lived for Christ. If it sounds like I’m making a big deal about all of this, you’re right…because it’s serious business!

We really MUST strip off anything that is compromising our Christian witness…and focus on Jesus and the race that our Heavenly Father has set before us. And we cannot wait another minute to begin. Are you with me?

Daily Devotional for June 29, 2017 – Teaching others a lesson

Galatians 6:1-3
Dear brothers, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord’s command. If anyone thinks he is too great to stoop to this, he is fooling himself. He is really a nobody.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I’ve shared this before, but one day Nathan came to me and said, “Timmy hit me.” When I questioned Timmy about this, he admitted that he hit his brother…and he added, “Well…he [Nathan] needed to be taught a lesson!” We had to have a little talk about who was in charge of “teaching lessons”…and the appropriate way to interact with your brother and sister! In his defense, Timmy was only seven when this happened…Nathan was four. Unfortunately, sibling rivalry sometimes includes some hitting. Children have to learn what is – and isn’t – acceptable behavior and responses.

Sometimes, as Christians, we see something that a “brother or sister” is doing – even in the name of Jesus – and we think, “He/she needs to be taught a lesson!” This is where Paul is admonishing us to carefully – and prayerfully – consider our reactions. We are to remember that none of us is perfect, and we all make mistakes.

Does this mean that we are to look the other way? Absolutely not! There is a right way – and a wrong way – to address transgressions. We have to be willing to get our hands dirty and get down in the trenches…to risk losing a relationship in order to stand up for the teachings of Jesus and what we know is right. But we must also be careful not to barge in and toss out a barrage of criticisms and judgments that immediately offend the other person. We must not offer the equivalent of a “childhood slap” or reprimand.

I will admit…there are a few folks lately to whom I would like to give some stern talk and ask, “What on earth are you thinking with those words and actions?” There is a part of me that would love to lash out at some who are spewing hatred and discrimination…and downright lies in many instances. I would really like to shout at people who are inciting the anger and underwriting the unbelief of many by their own words and actions offered in the name of Jesus – that actually produce the opposite effect.

But you and I need look no further than the Gospels to see that this is not how Jesus reacted, save one trip through the temple to run out the money-changers. Jesus gave us plenty of examples of how we are to approach others – even those who appear to be speaking and acting sinfully. If we run off half-cocked and start lambasting…if we wear our feelings on our sleeve…if we speak without thinking, we are very likely to put ourselves in the same boat with those we desire to correct!

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a “nobody”. I want to be a “somebody” – for Jesus! And in order to do this, I have to pay close attention to how He walked and talked…how He demonstrated love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and kindness. I have to study how Jesus restored souls and renewed hope and faith in those He encountered…and I have to do my best to mimic His approach.

On any given day, you or I could “need to be taught a lesson”…so we must be careful how we approach for whom this is that day! The guidelines are clear and evident. Some of us just need to go back to the basics…to pick up our Bible and spend a little time reading…then prayerfully allow God to guide us in our ministry. I’m ready to do this…what about you?

Daily Devotional for June 28, 2017 – How are you spending your days?

Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Today we celebrated Grandma E’s 91st birthday. I asked her, “Of all the 91 birthdays you’ve celebrated…which was your favorite?” She replied…”The most recent one (meaning today)!” We all laughed…but I questioned why she felt this way, and she said, “Because I got to have it [another birthday].”

My mother-in-law is a remarkable woman. She recently refinished a piece of furniture that she purchased at a local estate sale. She and I “swim” three days a week or better…she soaks in the therapy pool at our Aquatic Center while I do water aerobics. I picked her up one recent morning for our “swim”, and she had varnished her living room window sills! Within the last year, she stopped driving and scaled her list of about a dozen dog-sitting clients down to 3 beloved canine friends who stay with her on occasion. But she still manages to stay busy with projects and hobbies – like scrapbooking and gardening.

Greg’s mother often reminds me of my Mam-ma Polly and some of my “other mothers” who all make good on Proverbs 16:27…”Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” These ladies have been known to get more done by 9:00 a.m. than I did in a day! I’ve heard more than once, “I ought to be doing something!” And I have no doubt that each of these ladies will be busy as long as they are able…and my grandmother probably still maintains a full agenda in heaven!

There is nothing wrong with resting. Relaxation is good for the body and soul. But I look at these ladies (and a few gentlemen) who have remained active well into their 80s and 90s, and I am inspired by their appreciation for life and living it to the fullest. I see how they work to keep their minds sharp and their bodies in shape…and I acknowledge their demonstrations of how we should appreciate the gift of life and glorify God with our words and actions each day.

In an e-mail exchange with a friend this morning, I mentioned that we had been entertaining the children recently…and I was ready for a rest. He suggested that I “take a break and watch your stories.” I have not watched “soap operas” in years…and I don’t plan to start them again anytime soon! But I will take a little rest and reflect on all of the blessings of my life…like God’s grace and mercy, Salvation through the blood of Jesus, the promise of Eternal Life, and the blessing of an amazing mother-in-law like Grandma E, who numbers her days and spends each of them wisely…and inspires me to do the same!

Daily Devotional for June 27, 2017 – Are you guilty by association?

Ephesians 5:6
Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don’t even hang around people like that.

I’ve said it before, but social media is a double-edged sword. When it is used for prayer requests, hundreds – if not thousands – of people can be reached with a single post, and the heavens can be flooded with petitions for care and restoration. When friends welcome a new baby…lose a loved one…get married or get a new job…this can be a convenient tool to notify many people at once. When my mother was in her last days of her battle with cancer, I used Facebook to post updates to family members and friends…and I was able to read their responses back to Mother and talk about them with her.

But there is an ugly side of social media…and honestly, I have come to see several “friends” in a different light because of it. I have seen several people I considered to be faith-filled, Godly Christians share scripture in one post…and spout vitriol in the next. I’ve come to realize that while they SAY they love Jesus and follow His teachings…their attitudes with regard to many other people and situations suggest otherwise. With such “proof in print”, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that these people are involved in “smooth religious sales talk”…and I don’t feel that I am judgmental in saying so.

What struck me about this scripture passage was Paul’s admonition to avoid getting taken in by these people – and more importantly, his warning…”Don’t even hang around people like that.” I will admit, I have struggled with this one. Should I “unfriend” such people and disassociate with them? Will that make me seem pious and judgmental? Are we missing an opportunity to share the love of Christ if we block a “friend” from seeing our posts?

Here’s what I have prayerfully decided. In some instances, the risk that someone will think that I agree with these people and what they are peddling in the name of Jesus is simply too high. If even one person sees a post on my wall from someone who is spouting untruths or hatred – and thinks that I condone this or endorse it as acceptable Christian behavior, I have betrayed my witness and the honor and glory of Jesus. I don’t want to be hurtful or mean…but sometimes, being a genuine Christian disciple is difficult…and hard choices must be made.

Years ago, I fully surrendered my heart to Jesus with this promise…”If You take every single person away from me, I will still love You and serve You. If my faith and obedience costs me every family member and friend I have, so be it.” I meant this with every fiber of my being…and God has blessed me because of my commitment. Yes, there have been a few “friends” who have faded into the woodwork – or dropped off my radar completely. And that’s okay. My allegiance is to Jesus Christ and His teachings…not the double-talk of people who purport to operate in the love of Christ while doing the devil’s bidding.

Perhaps you are struggling with a similar issue in your own life. Maybe you have wondered what to do about certain “friends” and/or situations. Prayerfully consider what God would have you do. Consider how your actions reflect your own relationship with Jesus – and your Christian discipleship. Do what you must to make sure that your words and actions always line up with His teachings…even if it means thinning the ranks of your list of “friends”.

Daily Devotional for June 26, 2017 – Do you ever see the sunrise?

Ephesians 5:11
Don’t take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are.

Years ago, Greg’s dad used to tell us, “You miss some beautiful sunrises by sleeping late!” And he was right! While I am not always up to see the sunrise, I’ve seen some beauties lately. And when I am up early, it’s usually because I have a lot to do…or somewhere to be first thing in the morning. Honestly, I tend to get more done on the days when I “get up and get going” and don’t linger in the dark.

While getting plenty of sleep is not something I consider “worthless,” there are many times that I “piddle” and accomplish little to nothing. Is this a bad thing? Yes and no. Even if we are not doing something sinister, idling away too much time means that there is at least a chance something important didn’t get done. For Christian disciples, that can mean that we spent more time on social media than we should – and neglected our neighbor in some way. It can mean that we were more interested in hanging out with our friends at the lake than hanging out with a group of kids who needed a mentor – or tending to shut-ins who needed a visit.

Given a choice, we might opt to sleep in over getting up to help a friend with a project…or even getting to those items on our “to-do list”. And on the worst end of the spectrum, we might actually be choosing to engage in an activity that we know is not approved of by God…something that truly is a “worthless thing done in the dark”.

You’ve probably heard the adage…”Don’t say or do anything you wouldn’t do in front of your grandmother.” I think the Apostle Paul would broaden this statement just a bit. He might suggest that we consider all of our activities and ask ourselves whether or not they line up with God’s plans. We might not be doing anything wrong…but our priorities may be a bit misplaced at times and need an adjustment.

So sleep in if you like…visit with friends and enjoy your life. But prayerfully consider what God desires of you…and plan your activities accordingly. Leave time for the things that demonstrate to others just how much you love Jesus – and what He means to you. Make sure that you serve Him before you serve yourself. And get up once in awhile early enough to take in a beautiful sunrise. Revel in the glory and beauty of our Almighty God as you enjoy His handiwork. If God can make the time to create something so amazing…surely we can arrange our schedule to enjoy a few of them!

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Daily Devotional for June 25, 2017 – How does God do it all?

Psalm 147:3-5
He renews our hopes
and heals our bodies.
He decided how many stars
there would be in the sky
and gave each one a name.
Our Lord is great and powerful!
He understands everything.

This morning at Sunday school, Timmy and Zola learned about the feeling of anger…and how God can help us to control this emotion. They learned that there are times when anger is justified…as Timmy put it…”like if someone tried to kill you, Debbie…I would be angry!” (This is good to know!) But they also learned to ask God to help them handle their anger and use this “energy” for good. Nathan’s pre-K class learned about Gideon and how his army used their trumpets and burning torches to defeat the Midianites – with God’s help, of course. Our “heartprint” to remember was…“I can trust in God.”

Once back at home, the “circus” began…”I’m hungry! I want pizza! I need my costumes! Where are my Lego® pieces? I’ll have chocolate milk! I’ll have ice water! I’ll have lemonade!” After lunch, the children fanned out to play, and we heard, “Debbie..Debbie…DEBBIE!” and “Uncle Greg! I need you!” At one point, as all three children were calling for “help” with something, I wondered…”What must it be like for God when we are all calling HIS name at once…and expecting an immediate response?”

Of course, the short answer is found in this scripture passage from Psalm 147, where verse 5 says…”He understands everything.” The capacity of God to hear ALL of our petitions at once – and answer each and every one of them perfectly – is astounding to me.

But the bigger answer is just how big God really is. He renews our hopes and heals our bodies…and has the time and capacity to name each of the stars. Even more amazing is the fact that God knows each of us far better than we know ourselves…He cares about every single detail of our lives…and He is always available to us. We don’t have to wait until God heals Joe’s body or delivers safe passage for Sue before He can answer our prayer. We don’t have to “get in line” for whatever we need – even if it is just to nuzzle up next to God and whisper, “I love you!” God is able to be everywhere – and meet the needs of every single person – all at the same time. And I find that to be absolutely remarkable.

On any given day, you and I are going in a million directions at once. We are thinking about everything from what we must accomplish during the day to what we will prepare for dinner – to maybe how soon we can crawl back into bed and get some sleep! If you have children or a family, you are thinking about many of their needs simultaneously. And the coolest thing of all is that when it all seems to overwhelm, we can call on God to help us sort out our thoughts and prioritize our activities. HE always has room for one more petition…and He is never too busy to respond.

So remember to call on God – anytime, about anything. Recognize that He is able to do far more than we can even imagine…from helping an Old Testament warrior defeat an enemy tribe…to aiding us in controlling our anger…to enabling us to sort out and prioritize the demands and needs of children – or whoever is calling our name! The key is to call His name…and ask for His help. I know I could do this a little more often…what about you?

Daily Devotional for June 24, 2017 – Just how old are you, anyway?

Ephesians 4:12-14
Why is it that he gives us these special abilities to do certain things best? It is that God’s people will be equipped to do better work for him, building up the Church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity; until finally we all believe alike about our salvation and about our Savior, God’s Son, and all become full-grown in the Lord—yes, to the point of being filled full with Christ.Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth.

Nathan is presently enjoying a two-night sleepover with us. He will be five soon, and as the baby of the family, he enjoys his youth…sometimes a little too much! When we ask him to do something that he doesn’t want to do, he sometimes protests…”But I’m only FOUR!” Nathan is somewhat obsessed with some costumes we have in the toy closet. In the course of ten minutes one recent Sunday, he was Buzz Lightyear, Batman’s sidekick Robin, and Spider-Man…making full changes each time that included masks or headgear and accessories! He is firmly convinced that monsters come into your room in the dark…and last night he told me that if you don’t believe in angels, “that red guy in hell” will come and watch over you while you sleep! In case you didn’t know, he says that red guy is the DEVIL!

Yes, we have some work to do! To his credit, he told me that “God is a nice guy, and I like him,” and that “Jesus is God’s kid.” So he’s getting SOME things right! But I wonder…how often do we get things wrong because we 1) listen to people who want to steer us in a certain direction, and/or 2) we play the “four-year-old card” and claim that we truly did not know better?

Like a four-year-old child, we often claim that what we have to offer as Christians is just not as “special” as what others bring to the table. We don’t pray the right way…or have the “gift of gab” we feel is needed to truly converse with others about Jesus. We lack financial resources…our house is not as nice, so we can’t host small groups. We don’t drive a fancy car, so we can’t offer others a ride. We don’t feel we have the right words…or the right talent…or enough “spiritual maturity” for the job.

We change our minds with the wind…depending on who we are listening to (or who we think we want to be) at the moment. We’ve bought in to the opinions and judgments of others…and we’ve failed to stop and realize that God is standing nearby, shaking His head and asking, “Do you really think I would bring you to something that I wasn’t going to equip you to accomplish? Why are we listening to others’ lies? Do you trust Me to take care of you…or not?”

Like our almost-five-year-old nephew, we’ve got SOME things right! We know who Jesus is…and we may even claim Him as our Savior! We say we love God…and that we believe in His omnipotent power…and His love and grace. But then, we believe what others tell us about “monsters in the dark”. We ignore the angels all around us in favor of the words and suggestions of “that red guy in hell” and the vile talk of His agents!

Everything we need to know is right in front of us. All we have to do is look and listen…to God. We need to spend a little less of our prayer time talking to God and sit still and hear what He has to say. We need to do some searches for scriptures about the topics and opinions other people share with us…and determine what GOD says about these issues, rather than man. We need to grow up and accept responsibility for our faith…and our mission as Christ’s disciples…and we need to do it sooner, rather than later.

None of us is four years old. That ship sailed LONG ago for most of us! It’s time we started behaving like “big boys and girls” – and serving God responsibly and faithfully. Are you with me?

Daily Devotional for June 23, 2017 – The main thing…

Colossians 2:8-10
Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything.

As Greg and I watched BBC Earth’s “Planet Earth II”, I commented that I want the children to see this series…but not yet. For all of its beauty and wonder, there were some scenes that I feel are too graphic for their young eyes and minds. Yes, these events are part of “nature”…one animal eating another, the fighting and more that comes with mating rituals, and the miracle of birth. But for now, the children need to appreciate nature at a gentler, slower pace…to witness lizards and spiders on our driveway…deer, squirrels, birds and foxes in the yard…the beauty of rose bushes and impatiens in the flower beds…and the wonder of leaves changing color in the fall, to name a few.

The children need to develop a knowledge and appreciation of the miracle and creation of God through experiences with simple flora and fauna…and how others respond to them. They need to see us appreciate a sunrise…marvel at tiny wildflowers on a hike…and enjoy the wondrous intricacies of our cat Mabel’s fur pattern. There will be time later on for them to study the “how and why” of science and biology…to ask questions about theories on how things work in nature…and to form opinions about preservation and conservation.

For now, they just need to know how amazing and powerful God is…and how awesome His creations are. They need to understand that the God who cared enough about the tiniest of creatures – and every whisker on a calico cat – loves them and cares deeply about each aspect of their lives.

I do believe that once people give their hearts to Jesus, we fellow believers have an obligation to nurture their faith over time…to share the details and intricacies of scripture with them and build a foundation that will justify and sustain their lives as Christians for the long haul. I am more than glad to teach little children Bible stories and build their knowledge base “on the back end”. But I am also very quick to speak of Jesus…to remind them how precious they are to Him – and that the most important thing they will ever do is to surrender their hearts to Him and make every effort to follow His teachings.

We don’t have to look very far to see examples of people who want to trip us up with big words and lots of double-talk…from the business and political arenas to people who want to mire us in Bible history lessons and talk of “end times”. We must not get distracted by all of this. I loved the last lines of this scripture passage…so much that I believe they bear repeating. “You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything.”

Keep the main thing the main thing! Get to know Jesus – and introduce Him to everyone you meet! The rest will fall into place as He ordains.

Daily Devotional for June 22, 2017 – Why do you do it that way?

Colossians 2:16-17
So don’t let anyone criticize you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feasts or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these were only temporary rules that ended when Christ came. They were only shadows of the real thing—of Christ himself.

A few years ago, I noticed that our church stopped greeting each other during Sunday morning worship service. I messaged our pastor to ask why this had happened, and he said studies show that people feel uncomfortable when made to greet each other in a worship service. I have since seen this “justification” on a few blogs. I’m not sure I buy that premise, but I remember my mother saying that her church also had stopped this weekly greeting ritual.

Then I thought about Holy Communion. In my church, we go to the altar and kneel (if physically able) to receive the bread and juice. I know that other congregations pass trays of the sacraments (I grew up in a church that did this)…and as our membership has aged, I’ve wondered why we don’t do this for our own brothers and sisters. Does someone think it makes Holy Communion less effective…or is it just that “we’ve always done it this way”?

When we were kids, we always had fish sticks for lunch on Fridays in the school cafeteria…supposedly a hold-over from a Catholic ritual to eat fish on Fridays, although there might have been half a dozen Catholics who attended our elementary school! Why eat fish on Fridays? According to information found at Catholicism.org*…”it is a penance imposed by the Church to commemorate the day of the Crucifixion of Our Lord – to enable us to make a small sacrifice for the incredible sacrifice He made for our salvation. Why, then, is fish allowed? The drawing of a symbolic fish in the dirt was a way that the early Christians knew each other when it was dangerous to admit in public that one was Christian. Our Lord cooked fish for His Apostles after His Resurrection, and most of these men were fishermen. After He established His Church, these fishermen became ‘fishers of men’ for the Kingdom of God.”

I thought about the rituals that become either so important to us…or such a part of our life that we don’t even think about them – unless they are not there – and I wondered whether many of us even realize why we Christians worship and act as we do much of the time? What is done out of mere habit…and what is done with intention and purpose? Are we afraid of criticism if we step out of the box? Are we afraid if we extend the greetings and peace of Christ to others that someone will feel uncomfortable and not return to our church? Isn’t that a risk worth taking? Did you know that McDonald’s introduced its Filet-O-Fish sandwich in part because of the Catholic “fish on Friday” ritual?

Are we looking around at the needs of our congregation and asking, “Does our aging membership need a more ‘hands-on’ approach? Should we be carrying the sacraments to them, rather than asking them to make the walk to the altar?” Are we tailoring our messages and our lessons to the needs of those to whom we are ministering, so that we don’t end up “preaching to the choir” in many cases?

Where are we serving God with an attitude of “we’ve always done it this way” rather than asking, “What would you have me do, LORD?” Where are you and I so caught up in how things appear to others that we have missed the boat completely when it comes to serving Jesus as He desires? Are we busy really representing Jesus to others…or making a show of our religion? Are we trapped in old Laws and rituals that define our “ministry” – and deny Jesus in the process?

These are pretty deep questions…but they need to be addressed. Some of us are just going through the motions…and we honestly don’t even know WHY. It’s time we asked ourselves WHO we are really serving – and made sure that the answer is…“The Real Thing – Jesus Christ!” These adjustments may take us a little out of our comfort zone…but the results will be so worth the effort. You can still enjoy fish on Friday if you like…just don’t assume it makes you a better disciple!

*http://catholicism.org/why-do-catholics-eat-fish-on-friday-2.html

Daily Devotional for June 21, 2017 – Are you saying too much?

James 4:11-12
My friends, don’t say cruel things about others! If you do, or if you condemn others, you are condemning God’s Law. And if you condemn the Law, you put yourself above the Law and refuse to obey either it or God who gave it. God is our judge, and he can save or destroy us. What right do you have to condemn anyone?

This morning, I saw a post on Facebook about some young people who were arrested for their alleged participation in a string of local car burglaries. Almost immediately, people began to comment to this post with a barrage of ugly names for these supposed “thieves”…as well as some suggestions about how their “justice” should be delivered. More than one person referred to this young man and woman as “low lifes”.

Here’s the kicker…I know some of the people making these comments. They claim to be upstanding citizens…and Christians! Even when the mother of one of these young people spoke up and noted how hurtful these expressions were…that her son had done a terrible thing, but he was not a horrible person…the posts persisted.

Imagine that these were your children who were being discussed in such a manner. Now realize that they are indeed GOD’s children…and when people talk about them in terms of “low life” or worse…they are suggesting that God makes mistakes…and that is simply not the case!

Consider this…name calling and unkind talk is judgment. Condemnation is not our business. As James points out, when we engage in these things, we put ourselves above GOD’s law! I am not defending those who murder and steal or do horrible things of any kind. I am not justifying their behavior – or making excuses. But I realize that people often make really big mistakes. I know that in the blink of an eye, a “good person” can do something terrible that will have lifelong consequences. And it is not our place to point this out to the world at large – or even to make matters worse with our judgments!

I also know that we have a legal system in place to handle these matters – both on earth and in Heaven. Remember…any time you condemn or criticize another person, you are talking about someone that God loves just as much as you or me. When you call another person an “idiot” or a “low-life” – or worse – you are judging them. Judgment attempts to elevate us above the fray…to say, “I would never do such a thing!” Understand this…when God’s children mess up, He has ways of handling the situation – and He doesn’t need our input!

I’ll be honest…when people I know who claim to love and serve Jesus spew hatred or engage in name calling, my opinion of them is affected. And yes, on some level, maybe this is my own form of judgment. But I do think this behavior sullies their Christian witness…and I believe that there are those who might be lost to God’s Kingdom forever because of it. Who among us wants to be part of a body of faith that engages in condescension and hatred? When we judge others, this is exactly what we are doing!

So guard your thoughts…and watch your language. If you start to say something you suspect might be viewed as unkind or judgmental, take a breath and think about it for a while. If you are ready to fire off an ugly post…call someone names…or make rash statements in social media, give yourself some time to mull this over before you hit the “send” button. Better yet, call on the Holy Spirit to act as your filter…to screen you before you speak or act…to check your very thoughts before they are delivered.

Get in the habit of curtailing your unkind thoughts, words and actions. Your mother was right…if you can’t say something nice, you probably shouldn’t say anything!

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