David
Jeremiah said something, which I’ll paraphrase and add to: When you
are in the body of Christ and Christ is in you, there is nothing that
separates us, no divisiveness, no prejudice. We are all one; we are all
beloved children of the same Heavenly Father God.
If
we feel prejudice or divisiveness or condemnation toward anyone, we
aren’t to notice or point a finger at how little of Christ we
perceive in them, but in OURSELVES. We are to hold up the mirror and
study our own reflection.
Someone’s
ungodly behavior means they are under spiritual attack. If Christ is
in you, what do you know to do, according the the Word?
Are
you to criticize or pray?
Are
you to condemn or be a Christ-like example?
“Do
not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use.
“Why
do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay
no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your
brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the
time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the
plank out of your own eye, and then will you see clearly to remove
the speck from your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 7:1-5
Is
this easy to practice? Not always. Maybe even infrequently. Why is
this? Because all around us are examples of criticism as either
comedy or seemingly justified comments, especially when someone does something to us or something we disapprove of. “But,” you might say, “Jesus criticized.” Yes, he
did. But never without a teaching or a prophecy attached. He never
tore down without also building up, or at least providing the
materials (teaching of the Word) for people to use to build a more
solid spiritual foundation for themselves and a deeper relationship
with God. He also wasn’t encumbered by a speck or a plank in His
eye.
When
we feel restricted or rejected or judged, we criticize. Considering
how many of us grew up with examples of conditional love or
conditional approval from family and or society, it’s easy to see
why we are so ready to be critical of others.
This
is no way to live. This is no way to love. This is no way to live
according to God’s Word. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is
weak. Ask God to forgive you when you practice prejudice,
judgment, or condemnation of another rather than praying for them and
treating them as you would wish to be treated.
What
we are seeing in the the world at this time is the absence or
diminished inclusion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our lives
and the lives of others.
Ask
the Holy Spirit to help and guide you in this matter. You’ll never
get this perfected in your lifetime, and God knows this and still
loves you, because God is love. But you can, in your love for God, do
what you can to improve, with the help of the Holy Spirit, so your
example is a light in the world, especially when it’s dark, as it
is these days.
May
the blessings of God’s love, wisdom, grace, mercy, care, guidance,
and patience cover you and all of us. May the sacred blood of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, protect, cleanse, restore, and renew
you and all of us.
