Devotional:
Being with family and friends, the people you love and trust, is priceless, right? I love having the feeling that everything is ok, everyone is safe, and I can just be me without any questions, judgment or gossip. Because I know I am around people who love all of me.
I remember, as a little girl, how much I loved being with my family. My favorite times were when all the cousins, aunts and uncles got together at Grandma’s house. With 22 first cousins, things were never boring. Today, I’d put our neighborhood hangs on that list of favorites.
A few of our closest friends live on our street and around the corner. We pool hop in the summer, watch movies in the winter, eat, drink, laugh and very seldom have serious conversations. It is safe. Another favorite for me is the close group of friends we go to Disney with. Our kids have been going to Disney together since Reagan was three years old and at 12 now, she still loves it. Honestly, I think the adults have more fun than they do. These are safe places for me and my family, and the friendships are priceless. It is important to surround myself with friends and family that encourage, love and understand me in ways I can’t get from random people I cross paths with every now and then.
Sometimes, I just want to stay in that safe, comfortable bubble. It’s easy and it fills my love tank. But, as hard as it is for my introverted, 6-on-the-enneagram self, I am not called to stay in that bubble. And if you are a follower of Christ, neither are you!
In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says,
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 5:14-16
I’m sure everyone in every decade in the history of the world has said this but I’ll say it again: it is hard to shine light in this world today. Right? There is so much darkness, anger, bitterness, hate, revenge, resistance and judgment. It’s easier to ignore it and just stay within our safe walls with our safe people. I mean, let’s be honest, the world can be so judgy and full of ridicule. Sometimes we judge others and think, somehow, we are helping. Or, we are just being honest, or just stating the facts, which in our minds, makes it ok.
Think of a time recently that you aren’t proud of, where your immediate thought was judgmental toward someone. And then you followed up with a “yeah, but…” trying to justify the judgment in your head? Or even worse, you did all that out loud.
“Judge not, that you be not judged.For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, andwith the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, butdo not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
— Matthew 7:1-3
Sometimes Christians find justification in judging and criticizing others who aren’t like us. People will call out others’ faults and differences just to bring honor and glory to themselves. Why is it that we are so judgmental and critical as Christians? Aren’t we supposed to be the ones that are the least judgmental and critical in this broken world, according to scripture? Christians, wake up!
We must first take the planks out of our own eyes and see what is in front of us so that we can remove that tiny piece of dust from our friend’s eye. If we are pointing out the sin in someone’s life because we love them and not because we are judging them, we must be willing to look at our own lives first and remove the sins, failures and blinders we still have on. Our families need us, our friends need us, the lost people in this world need us! Who else is going to show them Christ and hopefully open a door that can lead to an eternal life with Jesus?
Showing love for one another is contagious, just like hate and judgment are contagious. Imagine if every Christian in the world showed love unconditionally as Jesus did. Just think how different the world would be. It must start with us.
“A new commandmentI give to you,that you love one another:just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
— John 13:34-35
According to those two verses, we cannot show the love of Christ to others if we first do not have love for them in our own hearts? It’s kind of hard to be that light to others through cynicism and judgment. I find myself becoming that way every time I turn on the news. It ruins my day and consumes me every single time.
Social media is even worse. We are so powerful behind that computer or phone, writing things we would never attempt to say face to face. But the reality of it is that social media has made us critics and cowards, sad and detached from the real world. It is all just a breeding ground for hate, anger, judgment and violence. And even though we are supposed to be the smarter species, the only species made in the image of God, we take the stupid bait every time.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed bythe renewal of your mind, that by testing you maydiscern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
— Romans 12:2
We think we must separate ourselves from the world so that we won’t conform to it. But conforming to this world and loving others who are conformed to this world are not the same. We are called to go out into the world and be the light of Jesus. That’s kind of hard to do staying inside the church walls all the time, trying to protect our delicate little hearts. Staying in the safety of our brothers and sisters in Christ feels nice, I know. But God never called us to be comfortable. In fact, in Matthew 25, Jesus warns believers about what would happen if we don’t leave that comfort to go and love others.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,then he will sit on his glorious throne.Before himwill be gatheredall the nations, andhe will separate people one from another as a shepherd separatesthe sheep from the goats.And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
Thenthe King will say tothose on his right, ‘Come, youwho are blessed by my Father,inheritthe kingdomprepared for youfrom the foundation of the world.
ForI was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and yougave me drink,I was a stranger and you welcomed me,I was naked and you clothed me,I was sick and youvisited me,I was in prison and you came to me.’Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’Andthe King will answer them,‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of thesemy brothers,you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left,‘Depart from me, youcursed, intothe eternal fire prepared forthe devil and his angels.ForI was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these,you did not do it to me.’”
— Matthew 25:31-45
The final judgment is revealed in Matthew 25. According to Jesus, the love of God and the love of others cannot be separated. Jesus was the ultimate humanitarian. Giving of himself completely, he fed the poor, healed the sick and blind, brought death to life and in the end, gave it all on the cross for us to have eternal life. But his focus was not on feeding the hungry, or providing clean water, or reducing plastic and changing air pollution. His focus was on the hearts of the unbeliever. His purpose was to fulfill God’s promise, to save lives for eternity. The world will crumble and fall anyway. We want every soul to be with Jesus with the perfect new Heaven and new Earth.
“Let love be genuine.Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.Love one another with brotherly affection.Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal,be fervent in spirit,serve the Lord.Rejoice in hope,be patient in tribulation,be constant in prayer.Contribute to the needs of the saints andseek to show hospitality.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.Live in harmony with one another.Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.Never be wise in your own sight.Repay no one evil for evil butgive thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.If possible, so far as it depends on you,live peaceably with all.Beloved,never avenge yourselves, but leave itto the wrath of God, for it is written,“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”To the contrary,“if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
— Romans 12:9-21
Jesus tells us to outdo one another in showing honor and love others with brotherly affection. Think of a time you outdid someone in something. Maybe you outsmarted or outplayed someone in a game or sport. What if we used that same intensity when we tried to out love or out honor someone?
How will you show love without judgment this week?
Do you need to repent for harsh thoughts, words or feelings you’ve been having about someone?
Try to outdo one person in honor and love this week. Maybe it is someone that you’ve struggled to like, much less love. Or maybe it is someone God has put on your heart that just needs to be loved.
Lord, I am constantly in need of Your grace and mercy. Give me eyes to see others the way You see them. Forgive me for the things I have said, thought about or acted toward others. Lord, replace those thoughts with love and action. God, let my light shine for the world to see and not be hidden under a basket. Help me to pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ and for those who are lost. Give me an opportunity this week to outdo one another in love. Amen.
