When was the last time you saw or heard something that you totally disagreed with? How did you respond?
Often times when we disagree with someone, especially about the Christian faith, we feel the need to rebuke and correct on the spot and it’s often done in a extraordinarily harsh manner.
We often feel the need to defend Christian doctrine and thereby defend God. However, is that really our job?
In his article, The Ugly Underbelly of Christian Opinion, Darren Wilson looks at how cold some Christians can be in the name of maintaining righteousness for God. In an attempt to defend God and fight for what we perceive as His truth, we have forsaken love.
One listener, Mark from Minnesota called in and reminded us that our job isn’t to defend God, He doesn’t actually need our help.
“Some of these people who are so critical have this bad idea that it’s their responsibility to uphold righteousness, but it really isn’t their responsibility. God can defend Himself; righteousness has to be a by-product of love, it cannot be without love.”
“People often think they are upholding a standard of some kind. God can uphold His own standard. There’s a reason why Scripture says ‘judge not, lest you be judged.’ We don’t have all the answers, we don’t see things clearly, at best we see through a glass dimly. We really don’t have enough information to make these rants about people.”
Instead of judging and condemning others based on the little information we have, we should seek to love them, pray for them, and do the messy thing of being in relationship with them. Susie shares a quote from Ruth Graham to drive home this point.
“Ruth Graham used to say, it’s my job to love Billy, and it’s God’s job to make Him good.”
What would happen if we could love each other and leave it to God to make them good?
Featured Songs: Remember – Passion; Glorious Day – Passion; Unfinished – Mandisa
Letting our love grow cold
