Who Is In The Mirror?

This is a great question to ask ourselves, and I don't mean physically. This is not about how you look on the outside, but on the inside.

I recently listened to a podcast from someone who has struck my curiosity. Based on their online presence, it is clear to me that they have some structural understanding and experience with Christianity, yet they so openly reject it. Curious as to why, I started digging. Going through some of the older podcast episodes, I heard the host say something that put a pit in my stomach - "Usually you meet a hateful Christian, you don't meet a loving Christian."

Ouch! But unfortunately, I hear this a lot, maybe they're not too far off...How do we interact with those outside of our faith (or even with those who share our faith)? Do we show them the love of Christ? While I will never know the extent of what this person experienced in the church, it was evident from what they shared that there was a lot of judgment, shame, and legalism in their upbringing. I hear this too often - how do we miss the mark so painfully? In addition to their unfortunate negative experiences, I could also hear where parts of their understanding of God's character was misguided, viewing His direction for our life as restrictive instead of purposeful and protective. This view point must be changed by a change of our perspective.

A longing for God that is misdirected by human inability to fully understand, that is covered by a sheen of selfish ambition, is part of our human nature. We have to be okay admitting the fault of our human nature and admitting our need to repent of it. I heard recently a colleague say that "repentance is not a bad word, in fact it is a hopeful one." Praise God that we have the gift of repentance!

Not only is this repentance required of our hearts as we come before the Lord for salvation, but also in our sanctification. How many Christians have wrongly portrayed God in a way that pushes others away from His grace? Lord, may you call out the log in our eyes before we reach for the speck in another's (Matthew 7:3-5).

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I hear battles of legalism happening all the time, both internally and externally. Freedom from this in truthfully found in the words of scripture. If we are genuinely studying and deciphering God's word, it makes it harder to misunderstand. There have been times in my own life when I did not know how to interact in a situation, and instead of showing love and grace and pulling up a seat at the table, I closed the door out of a misguided attempt to be righteous. How can we expect people to find shelter in the Father if we are closing the door on them? How do we expect people to understand if we do not help explain?

This is even a convicting message for me. Jesus sat and ate with sinners, but He did not act like them. Matthew 9:10-13 says, "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (NIV).

What an incredible example for those of us striving to become more like Jesus.

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God, thank You for Your grace and mercy. My prayer today is that you redirect Your people to look more like you to those who do not yet know You. May we be a worthy representation of who You are and why You came down to earth. Forgive us when our selfishness and misdirection get in the way of that. Give us Your words and Your patience, not our own that falters. Continually sanctify and convict us in our daily walk with You.