A few weeks ago I was invited to a fellowship/worship gathering. Tonight was my date with destiny. A meeting with friends, mostly new, and a meeting with God. The topic we discussed amongst ourselves was judgment. As Christians, we are often seen in a negative light. Partly because of our collective history, partly because we are hypocrites, and partly because we are misunderstood as we misunderstand.
A good handful of friends shared stories of possible solutions to overcoming the weight of judgment. Not only for us as a body, but also as a Post-It note for ourselves to be mindful of the way we choose to view others. For our perception is frequently as far unrealistic as it can be.
My story of how to solve the dilemma began with my personal testimony. Interestingly enough I was able to share briefly, my testimony on facebook as I answered a comment to a thread I had earlier posted on. More on that in a minute. So I shared the life I lived and how coming from adversity helps a believer of The Way to avoid judging others. I began with the beginning.
This is what I came out of: As a child I was sexually abused, my parents divorced before I was in kindergarten, my stepfather sold drugs from our home. By the time I was ten, it became normal for me to be drunk, though at the time I didn't know it. I just knew I felt different and better, momentarily. My mom gave us up in order to keep her other children, and so I went from being raised in a home with virtually no rules to a home that was incredibly strict, though not "religious" in the sense that we went to church regularly, there were tones of religiosity. This happened the same year I went from elementary school to middle school. I had a sexual relationship with another girl and in my heart, I knew it was not right. During my teen years I compiled lists of ways to end my life. I was in a pit of despair.
And then I met Jesus when I was 16. He has proved himself faithful every time I needed him to.
I can't say that I wanted to go through any of that, and let me tell you, there are things I'm leaving out, but to be able to be in the position I am in now, I would choose to go through all of it over again. He USES the evil in our lives for the GOOD and the advancement of his Kingdom! We can't truly help anyone if we haven't been broken ourselves. I remember in January I went to a special worship night at church and over and over I heard God saying to me that he was binding up wounds and that he was restoring broken hearts. The woman who sat next to me told me that unless we are broken, we cannot shine God's light.
And so tonight, twice, I shared the story of me and Jesus. It is so much easier to consider there may be more to the story when you have been broken so much, so often yourself. This is how I answered the question of how we know what the Bible says is true. In it I included my personal story which you read above a moment ago.
I take it in faith that what the Bible says is true and I do so because of the life I came out of. I choose to believe because of how Jesus has changed me. I've found that personal testimonies provide the best opportunity for showing what we (as believers) believe to be the truth. Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the evidence for things unseen. Peter talks about how we should be prepared to give the reason for what we believe. I didn't immediately "live my life" for Jesus, but over the years I have grown to love him deeply. My thoughts, actions, and words have changed in such a way that you wouldn't recognize me if you knew me before Christ. I fail everyday. I am not perfect, but the truth is, he (Jesus) is perfecting me. That is the best answer I can give you right now.
We have to want to see people the way God sees them. We have to see ourselves the way God sees us. We have to choose it. We have to ask for his help. We get it wrong.
When I came home and the babysitter had left, I marveled at the freedom my daughter felt to dance as if it were only her in the room. She watched herself sway her nightgown in the window. As she lifted her hands and twirled, I could see her eyes dancing with delight at noticing her own reflection. It gave a present reminder of what tonight's meeting was about. Seeing ourselves as God sees us and others. Only, we see ourselves and others quite dimly compared to Our Father.
My Holy God, you are beyond my comprehension. I cannot know anything apart from you. I believe without a shadow of a doubt that as you formed me in my mother's womb and laid out the plans you have for me that you saw every moment. Those tears that were shed by me, during all of that pain and heartache, you hold each one in your hand. You are the God who sees. El-Roi. Let me see with your eyes, Lord. Let me hear stories with your ears. Let me love with your heart. Let me respond with your spirit. Here in time and space I only see with my human eyes and hear with my human ears. I love with my human heart. You took my heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh. But sometimes, God, I become hardened by my own failure and hurt. Forgive me, Father! Thank you that you made a way out! I praise you that I am not who I was. Thank you that you know the true situation. We see now our reflection very poorly. One day we will see everything with perfect clarity. I am longing for that day, God! But as I wait, empty me of me and fill me with you so that I can see the truth.
God of Our Yesterdays, Chris McClarney, take a listen.
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
1 Corinthians 13:12, NLT
Matthew Henry stated in his commentary of Daniel 1:8 that, "It is easier to keep temptation at a distance, than to resist it when near. And we cannot better improve our interest in any with whom we have found favour, than to use it to keep us from sin. People will not believe the benefit of avoiding excess, and of a spare diet, nor how much they contribute to the health of the body, unless they try. Conscientious temperance will always do more, even for the comfort of this life, than sinful indulgence."
Intentional living. Who accidentally eats too many cupcakes? Who unintentionally walks into a store and purchases a newer, bigger, better, flat screen tv ? When is the right time to smoke marijuana? Cupcakes, flat screen tvs, and (only if you have glaucoma) marijuana are not sinful in and of themselves. However, the purpose for their use can be. Filling voids. Ego boosting. Escaping. Self-focused thinking. This all comes from the world. It's frequently and gleefully displayed for us on a shiny silver plate, looking scrumptious and delectable, yet with so much potential for destruction.
What will I choose to take off that plate? Anything? One thing? Nothing? This is my chronicle (Session 1) of the Daniel study I blogged about earlier.
On a beautiful evening, just a few days ago, I chose to tarry among a few fellow believers in my living room to become a scholar of all things prophetic and historical. It was an intimate class. Windows were open, pouring in the remaining day's rays of light. Our classroom was divided equally into two comfortably padded couches. Introductions had been kept to simple hellos as we all knew each other.
As soon as the video began, I was captivated. Just as at a wedding feast, there were exciting sights and sounds. Anticipation of what was to be served held my attention. I felt like a dog under a table awaiting crumbs. Believing that something would fall within my vision, and trusting that I would sense God's offering of wisdom and knowledge, time seemed to both stand still and spiral speedily.
On the banquet table was a smorgasbord of truth. It refreshed me and nourished areas that had been neglected. I hadn't taken time to notice that I was even hungry for what had been prepared so carefully. Truths such as, "He (Satan) wants us to believe we haven't made any progress... our culture indoctrinates us into self-will, self-absorption, and overindulgence... knowing where to 'draw the line'; and determining not to eat from the world's table," satiated my appetite.
What a treat it was to consume God's word, and to fellowship with sweet grace, ending it all with a slice of cake. In my notes I have written that, "in Eastern standards, to share a meal was to commit oneself to friendship. It was of great significance."1
Jesus came and ate among some pretty detestable groups of people. He took interest in their lives because of his great love for them. Those moments of humility and grace filled empty spaces in hearts that were changed forever. May the dishes we serve be seasoned with love as the world takes in the aroma of a holy meal. May we honor God by honoring each other, as believers especially, but not forget to make allowance for those who really need to taste the goodness of the Lord.
Father, forgive us when we set our table according to the world, and more importantly when we set it according to our liking. Help me to select the proper place settings, an impeccable menu, and the perfect atmosphere so that it will be as you want it to be. Prepare my heart, strengthen it so that when I am faced with temptation to partake of things unholy, I will remain undefiled. I don't want to take anything that you don't want me to have. Paul said in his letter to the Romans that he struggles with not doing the good that he wants to, but still does those things that he doesn't want to do. We all struggle with something, Lord. Give us power to overcome! Thank you, Jesus, for your redeeming love!
But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ. Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It's like a fragrance that fills the air. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (GWT)
I feel more at ease at a table amid people I love having conversations with that are important to me. When we share a common interest, it makes for a very rewarding experience. In my imagination, it seems to me that there will be plenty of singing at the wedding banquet of Christ to his bride. Maybe we'll sound a bit like this...Take a moment, if you desire, to listen to this song, which I believe ties in beautifully with this part of the study. Aaron Keyes, "Psalm 62"
1. Joyce G. Baldwin, Daniel (Madison, WI, Inter-Varsity Press, 1978), 83.
This summer I will participate in a team oriented youth event called "Tribal Warfare." My team's name: The Dodos. While I'm not ecstatic about the disparaging epithet, I am absolutely aflutter to join these adolescents in annihilating our adversaries.
According to a 1995 article by Jerry Bergman, the Dodo is not only extinct, but highly misunderstood. Many myths abound about the size, agility, and intelligence of this unique specimen. Clearly, those who held these beliefs had not studied it as well as they had thought. Notable characteristics of this fine feathered friend of ours are "swift on foot," leg bones were designed to allow shifting it's center of gravity, thin bodied. So, here you have it, the Dodo is, in fact, not the "obviously unfit" bird some claim it to be.
May this be a sign to us of victory as a team who can take flight!
"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." Romans 8:37 (NLT)
