The story out of Florida is a tragic tale about jumping to
conclusions. Trayvon Martin is dead because a neighborhood watch volunteer
assumed he was a drug addict looking for a house to rob. George Zimmerman is in
hiding because many assume he is a racist who shot the young man without provocation.
The truth is lost under layers of
misinformation and opinions!
Did you
know that we form an opinion about people in about 3 seconds? Unconsciously, we observe how a person is
dressed, his body language, his facial expression and we form a first
impression. That conclusion, no matter how flimsy the evidence on which it is
based, persists long after we have come to know the person better. If we conclude that we won’t like them, we may
never even have the opportunity to change our judgment.
Jesus teaches His disciples not to judge! “Stop judging others, and you will not be
judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use
in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry
about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?"
(Matthew 7:1-3, NLT) This does not mean
we abandon discernment, that we lose the ability to hold others accountable for
their actions. Our high calling is to
approach people with a loving spirit, expecting the best of them, not the
worst. We make the choice to set our
first impressions aside.
Samuel, the prophet, was sent to Jesse’s house in Bethlehem
to anoint the next king of Israel. The Bible says when he saw the first born
son, Eliab, he immediately concluded that he had found the king! The young man
was confident, accustomed to making
decisions, and looked like a leader. As
the prophet readied the anointing oil, the Spirit spoke to his heart. “Don’t
judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t
make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord
looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions.” (1 Samuel 16:7, NLT)
Aren’t you glad that God looks past our failures, our
weaknesses, our bumbling and fumbling, our natural skills, our intelligence –
right into our heart? I am! He reads my
intention, knows my motives, and calls me higher. He extended the gift of favor to me, making
me a member of His family, not because I impressed Him, but because He loved
me. Though we were "dead in (our) transgressions and sins," (Ephesians 2:1, NIV) "because
of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ… it is by grace you have been saved."
(Ephesians 2:4-5, NIV) "For we are God’s workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
(Ephesians 2:10, NIV) Oh that we would
be full of the same kind of grace towards others.
Those who are changed by love, will love. A Christian who is
quick to accuse, who looks at others with harsh application of rigid rules, who
just ‘knows’ that the other guy is a worthless piece of trash – needs a love
infusion, needs to be reminded again that “he
saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his
mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so
that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope
of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-8, NIV)
So, here’s the word from the Word, another translation of a
passage that started this CoffeeBreak. May the Spirit make it living truth for
us today. “Don’t pick on people, jump on
their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same
treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. " (Matthew
7:1-3, The Message)
________________________
Touch through me, Holy
Spirit,
Touch through me.
Let my hands reach out
to others,
Touch through me.
There’s a lonely soul
somewhere
Needing just one
friend to care,
Touch through me, Holy
Spirit,
Touch through me.
Love through me, Holy
Spirit,
Love through me.
I will be my brother’s
keeper
Love through me.
Hearts are bleeding
deep inside
Love can dry the
weeping eyes.
Love through me, Holy
Spirit,
Love through me.
Touch Through Me
Dottie Rambo
© 1981 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music
Publishing, Inc.)
CCLI License # 810055
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