Stones And Glass Houses

Stones and Glass Houses

Most of us are familiar with the old adage:

People who live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones.

This is actually a warning against hypocrisy. Before you go accusing someone of some wrong doing, make sure that you too are not guilty of wrong doing because your accusation could come back and get you.

Let him who is without sin throw the first stone. John 8:7 NIV

Some people just hate to see others doing good or enjoying success and recognition. Lets face it people can be pretty petty about criticism and can get all bent out of shape when they see someone doing something for all the right reasons especially if it took a significant effort to accomplish the good thing they are setting out to do.

This is often the case with the un-churched world around us. The un-saved man and woman seem to have a bee up their bonnet when it comes to evaluating the life and actions of a Christian in todays world. This same attitude sometimes rears its ugly head in the church as well with Christians criticizing fellow Christians wrongly.

If you are like me you may be the kind of person who takes a measure of Pride in your Christian character. If that is true than like me you also need to be humbled from time to time and brought back to your center which should be Jesus Christ.

You see I have not developed my Christian character by myself, it is Christ living in me that has changed me into the person I am today so I can not take any credit for the change even though I may like the results. I may really like that I am more patient, or kinder or gentler or more thoughtful of others but that is not my doing that is Christ living in me and changing me to His likeness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

9But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christs power may rest on me.

The world might call this kind of change Self Improvement and millions of books have been written to advance this idea. For the Christian it is not self improvement it is the battle with self. It is recognizing that I am a sinner and in need of a Saviour it is understanding that I am not just failing to reach my potential as a person but I am failing to love and honor my creator and my God with what amounts to the standard of character expected and that is a Christ like character. So we all have a way to go before we attain that Christ-likeness our Heavenly Father loves to see lived out in our lives.

Philippians 3:10 NIV I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

All along the way though people see the good you do and the life you live and sometimes it gets their water to boil. They are uncomfortable around you for being that sweet, kind, loving Christian you often try to be.

They really wish they could be like you doing the Christian things you do, like a phone call to a sick friend or fund-raising for a Christian cause or just going to church on Easter Sunday and then following it up by going back again week after week. That kind of stuff can really frost their cupcakes.

It can set them off on a personal attack of your character. In reality they are attacking Christ since that is whose character you are being transformed by. Romans 15:3 NIV

For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." [ Psalm 69:9]

It is not so much out of spite or jealousy that they attack you but sometimes it is because their own guilty sinful life convicts them. It means this is an opportunity to witness through the very criticism they are attacking you with. You can now demonstrate how you too are a fallen individual subject to the same human weakness but for you Christ covers your guilt and sin and convicts you for your sin so that you will correct your life and as a result your character as well.

So if you are the Victim of what appears to be an unwarranted attack that seems to come out of the clear blue sky you need to realize that God may just be using you for an object lesson to others while at the same time correcting what may be a proud or haughty spirit in you. This is especially true if you have let your guard down and said something or did something that is more like your old nature than your new nature.