Every now and again, it seems like we need a reality check. We have these moments where we read or listen to the news and are appalled by what is presented. It’s another senseless killing, or someone getting off scot-free and we all question the justice system. Where’s the justice? We look at what we see around us and we judge. We’re the jury and some people take it to the next level, and they become the executioner. We are disillusioned too, and hope seems to have slipped through the crack in the back door and we start to let fear creep in, who’s holding the hand of desperation. We love the drama of throwing our hands in the air, and blaming a race group or a politician, or the past, or our circumstances, or our dads, or (cough, cough) God. The haze of anger and hopelessness hangs thick in the air around many of us and we feed it with the trays of steaming hot news that is served up every 30 minutes on our favourite news site. We ask for seconds and have dessert, and we ask for a little bit more, despite the nausea. We are bad news gluttons and it fuels our judgement and our paranoia. Where’s the justice?
The reality check I alluded to, is one that will get your one eyebrow raised and your one eye closed to a mere slit; it’s what I’ve dubbed, the ‘Scale of Judgement’. On this scale, there are 2 columns. One is called ‘The Deeds’ and the other ‘The Judgement’. It’s totally illogical from a secular perspective, and rather unacceptable from a Christian/Religious perspective. It’s based on biblical truth; hence the lean towards the unacceptable. It doesn’t make sense. The ‘scale’ would suggest that the consequences of what was committed are seen to all be varied and they are open to an array of responses; from abhorrence or disgust, to only mild irritation and sometimes the feeling that it’s not really all that bad. Those are all the stars of column 1. The other column, ‘Judgement’, has only 1 entry; ‘DEATH’.
Now; I’m not talking about the death sentence here, I’m talking about something, that in the context of eternity or ‘life after death’, is actually much worse. As if such a thing were even possible! This is what the bible says, and this is probably one area where it simply adds fuel to the fire in which some would want it to be burned.
The wages of sin is DEATH…
Oh! For the murderers and the child molesters?! No…actually EVERYONE! The white lie you told when your mom didn’t want to be called to the phone, right to the terrorist plot that affected a nation. It’s not logical, I already told you that. We all fall short of the glory of God. All of us. In this life, the court will deal with you if you commit a crime, and you’ll get a sentence or you’ll get off on a technicality. God won’t get it wrong, no matter who your defense lawyer is. Death and separation is the lot of us all. We are sinful to the max.
Yikes, that escalated quickly, Brad!
I just felt like we needed a stab at the Truth for a bit. To sober us up, you know. We love to point fingers, but we neglect the elephant in the room; our sin. Whatever you believe, you need to admit at some point that things in your life are a mess. Whether you’ve held a smoking gun over a lifeless body, or felt your life just ‘isn’t right’, God’s love is the same. His desire is to see you succeed, to be forgiven and to be what you were created to be, despite your past and present actions. This is called grace and it flows freely from the loving heart of God. Despite the obvious glaring truth that we are sinful and God is Holy, we need to forget the notion that God is scary and angry all the time. Again, despite what you’ve done or how you see yourself, there is hope, because God loves you, and it’s not about ‘getting you’. His desire is that none should perish. It’s for me, and it’s for you.
We ARE quick to judge, and to be honest, sometimes the bad news around us is all too much. It’s a scary world out there, but before we prepare the noose for those that have made the headlines for the wrong reasons, let us stop; breathe, and acknowledge our own shortcomings and let God take care of them, with gentleness, care, and love, and then, to change our attitudes towards others as we realize that they need grace too.