Matthew 7:3 “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
It seems to me that lately I’ve been noticing people being much more critical of each other. Present company included (that’s the fancy way of saying “me too”). It’s like the cool weather went straight to hot and people have lost their patience with each other. I’d like to attribute this outbreak of love lost to the weather but unfortunately we all know its Satan busy doing his work. I look forward to the day that he will pay for all this insanity that seems to be the new normal. But I digress for now … I’d like to talk about something that’s been stuck in my craw for a bit. Yea, this Jersey boy threw that one out there). Seriously, I’m not sure when I started to notice this particularly puzzling expression but it just kind of popped up all at once and seemed like it came from every other person I was talking to. Its actually more than one expression but they all say the same thing. What expression could this be?????? You know the one… “He calls himself a Christian” (aka “He claims to be a Christian”) – Yes, you’ve heard this one before…. Probably said it several times, maybe never, maybe a lot. You know, this is the one where a person is judging another by implying they don’t believe another person is a Christian. Seriously, that’s what they’re saying because if they didn’t think that they wouldn’t have implied it by saying “He calls himself a Christian”. Just consider this for a moment. We are saying that we don’t believe someone is acting, walking, talking, looking, or thinking like a Christian. Yes, perhaps we now have Extra Sensory Perception (ESP) and know what others can think. Pretty dangerous stuff if you ask me. Then again right now you may be saying “I didn’t ask you”, followed by a judgmental thought? Please keep reading because there is a happy ending to this story but let’s get through all of the ugly first… In addition to “He calls himself a Christian” here’s a couple more of the accusatorial greatest hits (now available on a 45 record). {Google it!} Side 1 A fellow believer, regarding another Christian family, says, “They say they’re Christians” (this is a particularly stinging comment as the word “say” usually rolls off the speaker’s tongue as if it poisonous and can’t stay in their mouth one second longer. You can almost feel the sting of the word as it is coming out). Now it appears we have graduated from judging one person over an entire family. I will never forget the time one of my lifelong friend’s wives said this regarding another family that were believers who struggled like the rest of us. The look of disdain was particularly disturbing. Here's another one that’s always an attention getter- “So called Christians” (followed by an eye roll). Contemplate this for a minute. That eye roll speaks volumes of contempt. I guess I could figure out quickly what a so-called Christian is. Down the hallway to the bathroom and a quick look in the mirror. Seriously, I reflect inwardly on all my thoughts for the past 24 hours. I can’t hide my sins - past, present, and future from the Lord. Well, I’ve graduated. I’m qualified to be a so-called Christian. Who isn’t? Please understand I am not trying to put all of us in the same basket, I’m not trying to make you defend yourself and I’m definitely not implying that YOU are the reason I am writing this. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when these types of statements have their place (I guess). Perhaps a Pastor, preaching from the heart on a subject that calls for it. Perhaps watching the nightly news and seeing that a member of a church has done something abominable or stolen money from the congregation, perhaps I lose my patience on the 101 and can’t control myself when I am sticking out trying to make a U-turn and someone lays on that horn without interruption…… BUT, then again who are we to judge? Our sins are surely no less than theirs? Our Christian walk outwardly may appear to be better but inwardly where are you and how can you reconcile judging them and not yourself? Really, is your walk so solid that it’s time to be translated uptown on the express train? Does your chariot of fire await you? It’s sad that I have had the displeasure on several occasions to be the recipient of someone saying to me, “so and so” claims to be a Christian and they don’t know it but the person they are talking about has also said the same thing about them to me. Talk about awkward. It’s a gut punch to the body Christ. Allow me to be clear, I am a sinner and can’t go two minutes without being convicted of a thought, a look, a judgement. I wish I could, and I endeavor to try harder. However, there’s one thing I can be certain of and that’s that I have never said any of the above statements. Perhaps I am not secure enough in my Christian walk yet and honestly, I hope I never feel I am entitled to say such things. I already have a hard enough time trying not to judge others and I guess this is just a whole new level to me. Ok, by now you’re probably saying what is up with Mitch. Why so harsh? OK, let’s take a trip back in time to King David. You know the one, blood line to our Lord and Savior and all! Praise the Lord for King David and his leadership and perseverance through so many trials but as many of you know, King David was a murderer and adulterer and that was way after the Lord gave Moses the 10 commandments / the law. Most of you also know that before King David was ruling, King Saul attempted to take David’s life numerous times. David could have easily killed King Saul but didn’t due to his knowing that the Lord anointed King Saul and David knew it was definitely not his place to get in the way of the Lord. All that said, my point is, King David was a murderer and adulterer with the law in hand---Did the people of his day call him “a so-called Hebrew”? Did they say, “he claims to be a Jew?" I’m sure I could find more examples to share but honestly, it’s disheartening to continue. So, I ask you my friend, what is a so-called Christian? Oh yes, need a happy ending? It’s my, your, and perhaps the other so called Christians personal relationship with the only One worthy to judge us. That’s the happy ending for now. I need some pretty big tweezers to get this splinter out of my eye!
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June 2023
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