Are We Lofty Or Are We Just Judgmental?

Are We Lofty Or Are We Just Judgmental?

Matthew 7:1Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what meas-ure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Contemporary gospel group Casting Crowns did a song entitled: Does Anybody Hear Her? It's a song that has been around a while but, I had just missed it I suppose. When I listen to it I didn't hear all the lyrics so I looked them up on internet.

The lyrics and the message in that song made me really think about our Christian society.

The song Does Anybody Hear Her tells a story about a girl who is trying to run away from God and looks for fulfillment in everything and everyone around her. Also when she tried to look for fulfillment in the church, the "lofty" people gave her "lofty" glances. At the end of the song the moral of the story is that we shouldn't be quick to judge people in the church or anywhere for that matter based on their circumstances or lifestyle, we should reach out and help them get to where they should be spiritually.

You know, we can expect the world to ignore those who are less privileged as in how they live, their profession. We expect the world to pick and choose their friends because of their status but, what about the Christian?

Sad but true we live in a classified judgmental society. Let me explain what I mean by that. Many Christians and even Christian leaders place people in their private filing system in their mind. One file is those who they want for friends and try hard to please them, the ones with money or a position, meeting their standard of society. File of acquaintances; are only those some feel they must have in order to fill the shoes of their Christian duty but, seldom in public.

The lyrics in the song that really caught my attention goes: "If judgment looms under every steeple. If lofty glances from lofty people. Can't see past her scarlet letter. And we never even met her"

Dictionary says Lofty means (elevated in character and spirit) .....Are we "lofty" or are we just judgmental?

You might say...well, what is the difference? Lofty in the song means that the church placed this girl who is reaching out for help as an outcast and not worth any more than a greeting at the door and a hand shake. The church placed themselves high above her spiritually and socially. Judgmental means that as soon as they saw her she could have had tattoos, clothes that seemed inappropriate for Sunday worship. There are many ways that folks judge others and never see the heart.

These verses in Matthew chapter 7 do not mean that a Christian is forbidden to judge others, but it does mean that we are not to judge the heart of others in the sense of condemning them. We don't know or understand why some people or maybe a brother or sister in Christ does certain things. We see only outward acts.

God doesn’t forbid our judging wrong and evil actions of others for ourselves or our families protection but, the point is that if we are harsh in our judgments of others, we will be known as the type of person who is severe in our considerations of others.

Folks, we have a generation of young adults who are rebellious. It's nothing new but, we also have a generation of kids who have heard every angle of children's sociology and sometimes use that in reverse on parents.

Most of those rebellious young folks are rebellious because lack of attention.

God forgive us if we ever over look a young kid searching for Jesus because we were quick to judge and we didn't lead them to Him. Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Aim them in the right direction....Jesus Love in Christ Jesus, Ronnie Miller www.themillersbiblestudy.com

02/09/2012