Cast The First Stone.....

I was appalled the other night while watching a reality TV show. In this show a Christian women was casting judgement on a new ager. She would ask a question about the New Age belief system this person believed in. With out letting the person answer she shut her down by casting judgement upon her. Not only that she continually did this and expected the New Age believer to listen to her when she spoke of Christ and the bible.

Let me be the first to say that I disagree with the New Age religion or movement. However I must also disagree with the approach a lot of Christians make to witness to others. You can't expect others to listen to what you say if you start of in judgement against them. Listening to their view point is not compromising your belief in Christ. However judging them is compromising your position to witness to them. Our job is not to pass judgement but to bring those to Jesus through love.

I am not saying there isn't a point where you must stand up for what you believe, but we should always start off with the mindset of love rather then judgement. If you do have to defend your belief, do it respectfully.

Matthew 7:1-5
“Do not judge lest you be judged. For the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”

I always wonder why people are uncomfortable when approached by Christians. This show let me see the ugly side of Christianity. Those who mock the funerals of fallen soldiers as Gods judgement on the U.S. truly in my opinion do not show true Christian values. They are by far in the extreme and hinder the body of Christ by casting their own judgement upon the masses through media attention.

Or worse yet as we shall see here this summer when they stand on the street corners with blow horns stating you are all going to hell! Noting like looking crazy to draw the masses to Jesus Christ! Instead of standing on the street corner condemning people to hell. Maybe you should be doing some good for the community. Maybe we should take the time to talk kindly with people who don't believe in Christ.

Be friends to them and talk to them with respect and love. Just because they may believe their distant ancestor is a monkey doesn't mean we shouldn't be friends with them. Remember Christ dinned with prostitutes and tax collectors. As we should do with non-Christians.

Mark 2:15-17

And he happens to be dining in his home,
and many tax collectors and sinners were dining
with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many, and they followed him.

And the scholars of the Pharisees
seeing that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors
said to his disciples,
"Does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

And Jesus hearing says to them,
"The strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill;
I did not come to call the just, but sinners."


Rather then pass judgement and cast them away we should be friendly and help them as we would any Christian we know. It is what Christ calls us Christians to do. So many tend to act as if they are more righteous then the drug dealer or wino that lives next door. It is our calling to out stretch our arms to help lift them to their feet rather then beat them further into the ground.

A loving heart heals many, but a blind heart fuels bitterness and hate. Building friendship with those who follow the world will show them that Christians aren't so bad or as judgemental as they once thought. As Levi put it, be the thermostat rather then the thermometer. Telling a non-Christian what temperature they are is always going to end ugly. Instead listen to them so that they will show you the same respect. They will learn more through what you say and be more open to contemplate what you have to say.

Be patient and show grace and love. Remember that they too are struggling through life as we are, no matter how they may view what happens after we die. We can only offer them the hope in Jesus Christ through love and kindness. This can all be done without compromising our walk with the lord. We are to be the salt of the world. How can we be the salt of the world if we won't step out of the bottle and into the mix.

Just my thoughts after seeing what I saw on TV tonight. It really bothers me to see Christians acting so judgemental towards people. It makes us all look horrible!