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By Karen DeArmond Gardner—
After listening to a conversation between co-workers I was saddened by their attitude towards Christianity. According to them we are judgmental bible thumping money grubbers.
Judgment or love? Hate what God hates? Or love who He loves? What is to be our response? Am I alone in this struggle? I tend to be judgmental of others actions and attire. My thinking is turning around from hating what God hates to loving who God loves. Hate is in the Bible 154 times, Love 763 times. That is almost 5:1 ratio. Hate the sin, love the sinner. Is it really our job to hate the sin? Is it possible to hate and love the same person? It can be very hard to separate the two. If I am to hate the sin does that include the sin in my own life?
This world is filled with horrible injustice, murder and mayhem. Pure evil. Ephesian 6:12 says our fight is not against flesh and blood, it is against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world. What if instead of hating the evil around me, I pray for the world to be slammed with the love of God. John 3:16 – 17 tells us God loves the whole world, so much He gave His only Son. Powerful. Jesus did not come to judge but to save the world. So why am I so ready to heap hellfire and damnation on those who sin seems more prevalent than mine?
I am not saying we should not be outraged at injustice, abortion, sexual predators, or sex trafficking, just to name a few of the horrors. This is something that has been weighing on my mind. What should my response be? How to be the Bible to those who don’t know the Bible. How to reflect the love of God in a world that has declared no need for God. I am raising more questions than answers. As women we are co-creators with God, we give life. How do we give life to the love of God?
We are women. Experienced women. We have lived life. Good. Bad. Most of us have lived through the terrors of evil and have come out on the other side. I believe God is calling women in a way he has not done in the generations before us. Young. Old. In-between. What will our response be? What should it be? What if instead of being critical of the woman who looks like she needs a make-over, I notice the beauty in her. What if I speak beauty into her as Jesus does for the Church?
Ephesians 5:25 – 28 (MSG) “…we are to go all out in our love―a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything Jesus does and says is designed to bring out the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness.”
The her is the church. You. Me. And anyone I come in contact with. Just maybe the love of Jesus can transform this world if I spend less time ranting about the bad and more time living love. What if I choose to love rather than hate? What if I choose to not take offense?
What if this last year of my 50s I could be transformed into a woman who spends more time loving and speaking life into those around me?
What if we all made the choice? We are the in-between women. We affect the generations ahead of us and behind us.
What if the legacy we left was love?
I’ve been a Christian since 1984 and have to say I’m not surprised non-Christians view Christians in a poor light. We don’t acquit ourselves well at all. What is gained by judging? Few of us are motivated by condemnation and criticism, but love can be a powerful motivator. We have nothing to lose by loving the lost – but everything to gain.
Elizabeth you so right. Love is so much more powerful.
I am guilty of the judgment also. It seems to be so much easier to think the bad about people and judge them when we have no right to judge. We are to love. Love will win more people to our Lord than judging them will. Thank you for reminding me that it is all about love. It is loving the person for the person and sharing God’s love with them.
Becky,
True words. I have seen a few videos lately where believers carried signs of judgment and condemnation on those they were protesting. How much better to let the love of Jesus flow and win their hearts over vs. hoping for a fight and calling it persecution.