Why must we get angry over small things? Why do we judge others for doing something that we may personally disagree with? I have spent a lot of time with those who believe men must have short hair, women must wear skirts, the Lord’s supper must be taken only on a certain day, too much make up is evil, women should aspire to be mothers and wives and nothing more, drums in music is evil, along with public swimming pools and movie theatres. If these things, as well as others were not followed to the letter, there would be judgment. Not from God, but from other fallible human beings.
To most people that idea seems ridiculous. However, even those “most people” don’t realize that they too have their own “rules” to be followed in order for their idea of a reasonable standard to be met.
I have caught flack for joining the military, marrying an NCO, even looked down upon because my husband and I have no children. Everyone thinks they know best. But only One knows best for me, and that is the Lord.
What matters? I am a Christian. And I am a Christian because when I was 5 years old, I understood that I make sinful choices every day of my life and I asked God to forgive me. I asked Him to save me. And He did. He was able to do so because many years ago, He died in my place, taking the punishment for my millions of awful decisions and sins, allowing me entrance into Heaven. And that’s it. That’s the bottom line. I know many people who have done the same thing. Some of them are Catholic, Lutheren, or no religion. Some of them listen to rap music, smoke cigarettes, or have had children out of wedlock. And some of them may do things that I personally don’t agree with, but it doesn’t matter, because they have done the one thing that does matter.
I believe there is a time and place to correct behavior when necessary, but there is also a correct way to do it. With love, compassion, and acceptance, like Christ showed to ALL – prostitutes, thieves, murderers. Surely we can strive to replicate that attitude towards all as well – all races, all sexual orientations, all genders, all religions – despite our personal feelings.
All I know is that if stacked my sins one on top of the other, I would hang my head in shame. And even if I compared my stack of sins to another person’s stack, it wouldn’t matter because it’s all sin. Even the person with the smallest sin stack in the world can’t enter into Heaven without the Lord’s salvation. So what does it matter? Thank you Lord for saving me. Let me act in a way that shows others what the true “bottom line” is.
Rom 14:1-6
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Rom 14:10
You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
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