I Can't Get My Robe Dirty! The Chipped Windshield

WHO ME? I CAN’T GET MY ROBE DIRTY! The chipped windshield?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I write this after leaving the funeral home, I talked with a man that has not been in church for four months. I asked him why? He said that his church was growing and that he liked to get to church as it was starting, and the last time he went to church, someone was sitting in his place on his pew. His PHEW?

I write this after reading a note from a board member that refused to serve communion, because one of the others serving the Lord’s supper had not been bapitized in water, and he did not want to dirty his hands.

TEXT:

Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth...

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you again 3. Why beholdest thou the mote that is in your brother’s eye, but not consider the beam that is IN THINE own eye? 4. Or how can thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold a beam that is in thine own eye? 5. THOU HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Matthew 11:19 .... Jesus --- a friend of publicans and sinners ...

Luke 7:34 Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!

PLEASE, CONSIDER AND PONDER GETTING MY ROBE DIRTY?

KJV, Jude 1: 21 Keep yourselves in the LOVE of God, looking for the MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22. And of some have COMPASSION , MAKING A DIFFERENCE: 23. And others save with fear; pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

LB Jude 1:22 Try to help those who argue against you. BE MERCIFUL to those who doubt. 23 Save some as snatching them as from the flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them find the Lord by being kind to them....

I like this way of wording...

Jude 1:22 SHOW MERCY to those who have doubts. 23. Save others by snatching them from the fires of hell, SHOW MERCY TO OTHERS, even though you are afraid that you might be stained by their sinful lives.

From the words of Eugene H. Peterson, THE MESSAGE, NAVPRESS, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Quoting page 2233 and page 2235.

Our spiritual communities are susceptible to disease as our physical bodies. But it is easier to detect what is wrong in our stomachs and lungs than in our worship and witness. When our physical bodies are sick or damaged, the pain calls our attention to it, and we do something quick. But a dangerous, even deadly, virus in our spiritual communities can go undetected for a long time. As much as we need physicians for our bodies, we have even greater need of diagnosticians and healers of our spirit.

Jude’s letter to the early church of Christians is just such a diagnosis.

There is far more, of course, to living in the Christian community than protecting the faith against assault or subversion. Paranoia is as unhealthy spiritually as it is mentality. The primary Christian posture is, in Jude’s words : "KEEPING YOUR ARMS OPENED AND OUTSTRETCHED, READY FOR MERCY OF OUR MASTER, JESUS CHRIST." Energetic watchfulness is required ... page 2233

Jude , But you my dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s LOVE, keeping your arms opened and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is unending life, real life! ---- Page 2233

Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.

And now to Him that can keep you on your feet, standing tall in His bright presence, fresh, and celebrating... ---- Page 2235

WHO ME? NOT ME! YOU ARE KIDDING?

Who me? I can’t afford to get my robe dirty? I can’t mess with sinners. I can’t work in a church where people are lacking? I can’t serve the Lord with dirty people? Why can’t the pastor see? I have been here a long time and I can tell you there are many people that don’t meet my "HOLY" standard? I will withhold my obedience and my offering and my attendance until they get perfect members and a perfect pastor?