Compassion Without Compromise

Anyone who has gone to a modern institutionalized church has probably heard the expression, "Love the sinner, hate the sin." We use this expression to help other Christians to grasp the concept that Jesus so fervently taught us according to the gospels. We are to abstain from evil, but we are to love those who live that way. We are told to not be conformed to the world, yet we are taught to minister to those in the world. Most people will stay away from these "evil" places that are inhabited by "evil" people. Instead, we just invite them to church and hope for the best.

I write this today to challenge you. Jesus was called a drunk because he drank with sinners. He himself was called unholy for partaking in the breaking of bread with sinful people--the lowest of the low: tax collectors and even prostitutes. He was seen with demoniacs, and in turn was said to perform his miracles using demonic powers. 

There is something that all of these instances have in common. These accusations were obviously not true. Jesus was perfect. However, in every instance, someone judged Jesus based on the environment he chose to be in. They condemned him for where he chose to minister to people.

Isn't that exactly what many of us are afraid of? What would we do if someone from church saw our car parked outside of a bar? How would we feel if someone saw us going to the movies with a group of prostitutes or promiscuous-looking people? What if we hung out with a crowd of bikers with tattoo-cladded arms? What would our church friends think of us? What if we went with a friend to a Muslim mosque just as an observer, and to pray for all of those people inside? If caught, would other so-called Christians not judge us for being infidels and turning to a new religion?

Jesus never worried about what people thought about how he chose to evangelize, so why should we? Why should we feel ashamed to go to the bar with a couple of friends to get close to them for the purpose of developing relationships for the kingdom of heaven? 

For all who judge, know that in the Bible it says:

"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." (Romans 2:1)

We can't focus on what people think. We must follow our own convictions. If God is asking you to go witnessing at a bar, or at a mosque, go ahead. That does not mean you should become a drunken idiot, or participate in Islamic worship practices. There is a balance we must find.

We are to have compassion without compromise. Jesus displayed this perfectly in John 8: 6-7, when Jesus saves an adulterous woman from being stoned to death. The passage reads thusly:

       "They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

Jesus defended the woman, not her sin. He did not in condone her adulterous ways. He simply showed compassion. The Bible teaches that because of his compassion, she went throughout the whole city proclaiming Christ as the Messiah. That woman was forever changed by Jesus' compassion, and through his compassion she believed, and her faith was counted to her as righteousness just like the rest of us.

When Jesus sat at Matthew's table, he did not respect the Jewish social boundaries. When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, even his disciples were surprised. He was also looked down upon for entering Zacchaeus’ house, and for touching a leper. Jesus didn't wait until his paths crossed with a sinner's. He went where he knew the need was great! Luke 19:10 tells us that Jesus came to save sinners--not the righteous. When a soul's eternal destiny is on the line, culture, tradition, and a few frowns from onlookers does not matter. 

Where is the need greatest in your community, and when was the last time you purposely put yourself in the sort of position Jesus often placed himself in? Do not fear the judgment of man. Let God work through you without limitations.

Can't You Hurry Up God?

Have you ever prayed in desperation? Have you ever cried out to God for help and it seems as if no one is listening? You have faith that God will give you what you desire at first, but that faith begins to dwindle and erode away as time goes on. Sometimes years will pass without receiving what you've asked for. Perhaps you are trying for another child, looking for a new job, or searching for a bigger, better home. Maybe you are hoping for Mr.or Mrs. Right to come along or to be free from a grievance. Whatever it is you seek, God has an answer for you.

Most people think that their prayers aren't answered if they don't get their way as soon as possible. That is not true! God has three answers for prayer-- yes, no, and wait.

Over here in Spring Hill, Fl, there is a church named, "Berean Assembly," located on Barclay Ave. They have a sign out front on their property that they frequently update with new quotes, verses, or biblical phrases. I particularly enjoy cruising down Barclay to view whatever new information the sign has for me to read, and whenever a new phrase is up, I get even more excited. It really gives me something to chew on. Recently the sign said something that touched me. It read, "Patience is trusting in God's timing." I don't know who the sign-guy is, but he certainly is doing a fine job!

Just like we are told to trust in God with all our hearts and to not lean on our own understanding, so should we trust his timing. Pray that God will help give you the patience you need to wait it out. This will be accomplished with steadfast, non-ceasing prayer. In the meantime, here are some verses of encouragement, and I hope they will strengthen you as they have strengthened me.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."

Habakkuk 2:3 "For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Psalm 37:4 "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Psalm 37:5 "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"

Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Remember above all else that God loves you and you are his child. Trusting in God is the key to success and happiness in your life. Whatever issue you are facing, first go to the Lord in prayer. You may find that what you have been longing for is not what God wants you to be focusing on after all. If you truly are serving God with all your heart, your desires will match his desires for your life. It is important that we trust in God's word and rely on his promises. We must ask him to create in us a new heart and along with it new desires. We must also differentiate between Godly desires and our feelings. God would never plant in you a desire to date or marry a nonbeliever. (2 Corinthians 6:14- "...do not be yoked together with unbelievers.) However, he does desire for you to live according to what the Bible says and to follow his will.

Psalm 3:6 says, "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Let's hold God to that promise!

An Eye For an Eye Makes the Whole World Blind

All of us have felt it before--bitterness, or rage. It is inevitable. At one point or another in your life, someone will hurt you. That's the downside to forming relationships. Every person you have a relationship with will hurt you at least once. The worst part is that how much love or trust you invest in someone determines how much pain you feel were they to ever hurt you; the greater the love, the greater the pain.

Some of us have developed complexes due to people who have hurt us in the past. Sometimes, people hurt us so badly that it impacts us for the rest of our lives. We carry it along with all of the other past hurts that weigh us down. They have NO idea how much destruction they have reaped, or how much discord they have sewn in our lives. Sometimes we catch ourselves going back to the moments we were wronged, and the bitterness stirs up in us all over again. We can't seem to let it go. We eventually develop an unhealthy obsession, and letting go becomes difficult because we feel it defines who we are. Sometimes the answer seems clear. Revenge becomes the only option, Surely then our vengeance would be satiated.

In 1914 in the Canadian House of Parliament a member named Mr. Graham was arguing against the death penalty. He quoted the famous verse in Exodus 21:24 that states, "...an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." He then stated, "We can argue all we like, but if capital punishment is being inflicted on some man, we are inclined to say: ‘It serves him right.’ That is not the spirit, I believe, in which legislation is enacted. If in this present age we were to go back to the old time of ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ there would be very few honorable gentlemen in this House who would not, metaphorically speaking, be blind and toothless."

Of course this command portrayed also in Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21 was figurative. It was never meant to be taken literally. God meant that secular justice should be equitable--not excessively harsh nor excessively lenient.

However, in spiritual matters, God reserves the right to vengeance for himself alone. The reason why, is because unlike us, God never takes revenge using impure motives. It is very tempting to try to "play God" and seek to punish people we feel deserve it, but as sinful creatures it is impossible for us to avenge ourselves with pure motives. For this reason we were commanded in Leviticus 19:18 to not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but to love our neighbor as ourselves.

If you have been hurt in the past, and I am sure you have, then I urge you to let it go. Even David continued to play the harp for King Saul's enjoyment though he kept trying to impale him with a spear. Saul even viciously pursued David so that David had to flee and hide in caves to survive. Even though David was the innocent party in this matter, David refused to take his own revenge saying to Saul, “May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you (1 Samuel 24:12).

David made the right choice, and God did indeed avenge David. God will never stand idly by as one of his children are hurt. He sees you cry yourself to sleep at night. He knows your pain and feels it as if it is his own. Satan can't directly hurt God, but he can hurt God indirectly by hurting the people he loves. God loves you. I encourage you to take time tonight and ask God to search your heart for any bitterness that lingers or grudges that you still hold onto, so that you can present it to him and let it go. Forgiveness isn't for the other person. It's for you.

Hiding Behind Religion

I have had enemies in the past who have persecuted me for my beliefs. I will never forget when one particular woman told me, "You just hide yourself behind God." After a few moments of thinking, I couldn't help but think wonder to myself, "Isn't that what God is for? He covers my sin with a robe of righteousness. If hiding behind God is something awful, then I am guilty, but that is not the case. God always wants to cover us in his love, his mercy, and protect us under his wings. Some people choose to not hide behind God, but rather a religion.

Most people equate God and religion as being the same. However, if you are a born-again Christian, you should know that we do not have a religion, but rather a relationship with God.

Religion causes more burdens; we become slaves to religious laws. However, God intended for us to be FREE from the burden of religion--the burden of the law. Jesus said in Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Talking about religious leaders, Jesus even went as far to say in Matthew 23:4, "They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden."

Though his burden is light, just going to church every Sunday does not make you a Christ-follower. Praying alone does not make you a Christ-follower, nor does just reading the Bible. If you do all of those things, and do not love, all you have is a religion. Love is the product of a relationship with Christ. 

Though we, too, have rules to follow as Christians, the yoke is easy, and the burden is light, because these commandments that God has given us are to be motivated by love. Once you have the love of Christ in you, you are more than willing to serve. It is no longer a chore!

If you are finding that serving others seems like a chore or that it seems burdensome, then recognize you are burdening yourself with religion. Loving others should be easy when you have a relationship with Christ. Going to church becomes exciting--you'll never want to miss it. You will begin to feel cranky when you don't get enough prayer time in. You will begin to feel empty and hungry if you don't read your Bible in the morning. You will feel guilty when you aren't doing something to serve others. If you spend too much time without sharing the gospel, you feel as if you might just explode! Enjoying things alone begins to seem meaningless...

Are you religious, or are you spiritual? What are you doing to strengthen your relationship with Christ? Don't allow yourself to hide behind religion any longer. Jesus desires an intimate relationship with you. Will you do your part?

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Did you know, that God has a special place in his heart for Children? He admires their innocence, their unwavering faith, and their appreciation for his creation. I'm sure you have seen a child excitedly chasing a butterfly, or exclaiming at the top of their lungs the beauty of the twinkling stars in the night sky.

Children are like a clean slate. You can raise them anyway you want, and how you raise them will be reflected in who they become as adults. The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) If a person is taught from their childhood about Christ, they will grow up and continue to believe. 

Children are so important to the kingdom of God, yet many times people look at children in annoyance, or they look at them as naive. Children are so easily dismissed by adults--even when the child is emotionally distraught over something important to them that seems minuscule to us.

A great passage in the Bible to show Jesus' attitude towards people who see children as having less significance than themselves, or towards people who do not having patience for children, can be seen in Mark 10:13-16:

“People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” 

 Those who place obstacles in the path of a child coming to Christ make the Lord indignant--meaning he felt and showed anger due to something he felt was unjust.

If God has placed it on your heart to work in Children's ministry, or if you are having trouble deciding between another ministry and Children's ministry, choose Children's ministry. If you know that your duty as a Christian is to carry out, "The Great Commission," you ought to look for the most fertile hearts to harvest the seed of the gospel. Children are more receptive to the word, and you can seal them in Christ at a young age, and in doing so, gain more glory for the kingdom of God, and be honored in heaven for helping to raise up a new generation of believers.

"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;" (Matthew 9:37)

Isaiah shows us how to answer God's call in Isaiah 6:8-- "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." 

Will you be as Jonah, running from your calling, or will you be as Isaiah and answer the Lord's call?

If you do not have a calling for ministry, and have some children of your own, I encourage you to analyze the way you treat your children. Do you treat them with patience and love? Are you humble enough to get on your hands and knees and play imagination with them, or will you always be the parent that was, "too busy." Treat them the way Jesus did--with compassion, not indifference; with patience, not arrogance; make them feel important, not inconvenient, and most importantly, make them feel like a blessing, not a burden.

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3