Got the snow tires switched over on the Toyota this morning.  Carla used it to go to work the past couple days, the streets are in pretty good condition – our driveway, at least the lower part that we allow neighbors to use, ain’t; it was icy.  So she parked on the street and walked the 5 miles home – okay tenth of a mile, but in the dark on slippery ice and snow going uphill it feels that long.   I put some ice melt on the icy parts and with the studded tires she is having no difficulty coming up.

The tire stores have been busy for the past week.  Both Les Schwab's and Neslon Tires put out their “we are filled and can take no more cars,” early in the day; 0800 - 0830 early.  We got the tires and car down to Nelson around 0730 and Carla sat and knitted while she waited.  Because ours are on rims it only takes a few minutes and the changing is free since we buy our tires there.  There were other cars already there.  I went by the post office and came back by within five minutes and she had several cars waiting behind her.  She was home slightly after 0830.

Our cats are, for the most part, outdoor cats, they prefer to be outside; this time of year, though it is just too cold.  While they do have favorite spots in the outbuildings they aren’t barn cats, so they come in find and enjoy their hunker down spots; then, frequently they sit on the window sills and look out at the world, longingly. 

Mathew 7:1-3     Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Probably one of the most quoted Bible verses – or part of it – that every sinner can say is ‘Judge Not.’  So if we try to tell them their sin is sin, many throw that verse at us.  In self-righteousness, asking, ‘who are you to judge’ my conduct?

In many ways, it is a tough verse to deal with – Jesus made it clear that if we judge someone, He will judge us to the same measure.  On the other hand we make judgments every day in our decisions – and we need to do that very thing.

Paul told the Corinthians to judge those within the church as to their sinful conduct and not socialize with them as long as they continued in that conduct.  (and boy does a person needs to follow God’s Word on these as there are some real pitfalls if we are not careful, but His Word does show how to go about dealing with people in the church that are going astray.)  Yet, he did not forbid them/us from socializing with those that are not saved but committing the same sins.

1 Corinthians 5:11-13   But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

¹² For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?

¹³ But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

That does not mean we ‘have’ to socialize with them, but we need to understand that living in the world we are surrounded by those that disobey God’s Word, because they do not know God’s Word.  As Jesus feasted with sinners to witness to them – without partaking of their sinful behavior – so do we because we are IN the world.  And as Jesus was sent into the world by God, so sends He us:

John 17:17-19 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

¹⁸ As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Most people, some Christians included, really don’t know the Word of God.  They pick and choose verses – usually told them by someone else and often times misuse or even change the verses to justify their own behavior (and how many times have they tried to say ‘the bible says this, and it doesn’t?’)  They are please because they think they have ammunition to combat the Christian by the Bible – convicting them with God’s Word.  (Of course if you ask them where it is found they have no idea, they just ‘know’ it is in the Bible.  And of course they can’t quote the qualifications either in context or in reference to other parts of God’s Word.)

But we have the Truth and it IS His Word.  We need to know it so when we are confronted by those that ‘think’ they know how to interpret the Word of God we can correct them and give them the Truth.

One of the other ways to combat these kinds of false interpretations is put them to the test – often times common sense will show their interpretations are off. 

When someone says, the Bible says ‘judge not.’ it opens up such a dialogue.  I have asked them what they mean – usually the answer is similar to you are not to judge my behavior.  And they feel smug about it. 

But when asked if they socialize with thieves, murders, robbers, drug dealers – etc. or let their children join gangs or socialize with the criminal element they will have to admit they do not.  Why? 

Because these people are doing things illegally or they have a bad influence on their children – or any other of some very good reasons.  The next question is obvious – then you are casting judgments on these people and their actions, right?   It is interesting watching them squirm and try to justify their decisions.

It usually comes down to well, yeah criminals should be judged, but my (whatever sinful behavior they are doing) shouldn’t be.

I can well remember the time I was terminating the employment of a deputy.  His Union representative was in my office arguing for him.  She was off base and emotional.  The grounds were firm; he had violated SO policy and had also committed an illegal act.  The victim did not want to prosecute, but I had enough evidence to discharge the deputy.

The rep accused me of being judgmental and playing God.  I found that quite interesting.  When I asked her what I should do, her thought was to reinstate him.  Period.  Who was I to judge – I guess she didn’t think being Sheriff was good enough...

People forget that decisions and judgments are made daily.  We have a responsibility to make judgments on a person’s behavior so we can correct those we love or are responsible for and protect them from those that would have a bad influence on them.

God is not telling us to not use common sense in our decisions.  What He IS telling us is that when we make a judgment about something we need to understand we also are accountable for that sin and if we are calling someone on their sin, we need to be very sure we are not committing sins ourselves – either the same one we are talking about or some other one that is going to be pointed to in derision.

We are not perfect, as much as we strive to be.  We probably have something in our lives that we need to deal with – and should be dealing with it, but at the same time we must witness to others so they understand the Joy of our salvation – and their own need to repent from sin.  Not being perfect is not an excuse for not witnessing by word and just as importantly by deed. 

Sin is sin.  We have to let people know that to commit sin is to place a barrier – a deadly barrier - between them and God.  If we fail to do that, how can the person find Christ?

It is a fine line; the sin – not the sinner – is what needs to be focused on.  It is not so much passing judgment on the person as to explain how God views the sin and what they need to do to be forgiven.  It is not surprising as we talk to them that we can tell the Holy Spirit has been dealing with the person about this, and our conversation is one of His ways of talking to the person.  Some will react with hostility, others in denial, some will just walk away, some will listen and accept, their decision is theirs.  The Holy Spirit will bring our words (and probably other people’s) to their minds at a later time.

Most people come into contact with many Christians in their lifetime.  They watch and observe their actions and reactions.  We may not realize it, but it happens with all of us.  If we show love for our fellow man and are confident in our Salvation and our Walk with God, it shows.

If we say we Walk With God and then do the opposite, it also shows.  Sometimes, as Christians, we do a great disservice to God; we react to situations and people in such a way that it brings discredit to the term. 

There have been too many men of God who have preached against sins, some very specifically, only to be exposed in doing either that or some other immoral sin that brings them down.  It hurts every Christian’s testimony.  But it isn’t just the preachers who have fallen that create the problem; it is sometimes any one of us and any given time.

It is usually because people have seen hypocritical Christians that they are so defensive about their own activities and sins.  They observe Christians saying one thing but doing just the opposite.  They then ask:  ‘how are they different from me?’   What right do they have to judge me and tell me what to do – the bible says ‘judge not.’  It becomes harder to reach them.

I am sure I have created images of a bad Christian in some peoples’ minds through the years.  My actions or reactions were not something I can point to with pride.  My words were not the words of Christ.  These actions may have become a stumbling block to them.  My prayer is God will send someone that can meet with them and demonstrate His Love - and they will open their minds to the Holy Spirit and their hearts to Jesus.

When we witness to another, it should not be in a judgmental tone – self-righteous attitude – but in a manner that shows a love of God and a desire to share His love with them.  People can tell the difference; so should we know, and, therefore, act the difference.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again