Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I believe there are far too many Christians who love their brethren and those outside the faith with conditional love. Believe it or not they don’t have to belong to your same denomination to be saved. They don’t have to believe exactly the way you do. Do they believe in God? Do they believe Jesus is God’s Son? Do they believe Christ died to set all men free from sin? Do they ascribe to the standard for living laid out by God in the Bible? Some shun believers that smoke, without knowing the circumstances surrounding why they smoke. Some shun believers with tattoos, without knowing where in life they’ve come from.  

            How’s about this: maybe the God we say we believe in we really don’t know as well as we think we do. Maybe, just maybe, we’ve made God in our own image. Maybe we’ve made God to be what makes sense to us and what makes us comfortable and at ease. We act in a way that doesn’t reveal the true God to anyone. We’re just pushing what we’ve been taught to believe, but is it an accurate representation of the one true God. 

            We all assume way too much. We were told to love our brethren, not pick and choose from the lot based on what we agree with or find pleasing. Anything distasteful must go, right? Don’t you realize there is tremendous hypocrisy in our words and actions? Don’t you realize WE are the reason many people don’t darken the door of a church. Perhaps that’s because what we say doesn’t always line up with what we do. We’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but in spite of that we attempt to take a hard line with those who don’t follow the exact same path we are walking on. WE ARE NOT THE JUDGE. Thank God for that.  We are all broken people, just like those in the world. The difference is we are on the road to recovery. We’re no better or worse than anyone else. Our Creator loves us all UNCONDITIONALLY. Lighten up friends, make it a point to ask God daily to help you see others thru HIS non-judgmental, merciful, compassionate, loving eyes. Study the Jesus of the Gospels and emulate that. Exhibit a loving and merciful spirit. THAT is what we are called to do. I half think we’d be better off at times living out our faith and say nothing. Showing people God’s love far outweighs telling them. The telling needs to supplement the showing. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller